Fun with Idle Threats
by Emerald Kitten
Summary: "Axel," Glenn started, "You've been following Carol around like a shadow. All I'm saying is that I wouldn't annoy the extremely protective guy with a crossbow permanently attached to his arm." Glenn and Carl take it upon themselves to have a friendly discussion with Axel. This story will be told from the POV of several characters, but with eventual Carol/Daryl.
1. Chapter 1

"There you go Glenn, that should feel a bit better," said Carol as she finished cleaning dried blood from the young man's swollen face. The stained washcloth she used landed with a splash in the pink water of the wash basin on the floor.

Glenn lay uncomfortably on the narrow bed that he shared with Maggie in their cell. No matter how he repositioned himself, he just couldn't get comfortable. Two cracked ribs and a body covered in bruises would have that effect on anyone. He finally settled for gently reclining back against the wall.

Glenn had been practically dragged back to the sanctuary the prison offered. He didn't remember most of the trip; he had slipped in and out of consciousness throughout it. All he did remember was lying down on the back seat of a car with his head in Maggie's lap. Every time he looked at her face then she had been crying.

"Now you tell me if you need anything," Carol's voice brought Glenn back from his vague memories of that trip. The caring woman offered Glenn a small smile that didn't reach her eyes. It was meant to be a reassuring gesture, but he knew her thoughts weren't with his injuries; Carol's thoughts were in Woodbury with Daryl Dixon.

Carol had been filled with sorrow ever since the rescue mission returned three days ago, minus that one key member of their party. She went through the motions of caring for baby Judith and tending to Glenn's wounds, but Carol wasn't really there. Truth be told, Glenn was surprised to actually see her alive when he regained consciousness.

"Carol, we're going to get him back," Glenn promised, leaning forward to touch her hand but stopping short at the sharp pain radiating from his ribs.

Carol signed, looking away from the young man before her. When she met his eyes again, Glenn could see the unshed tears threatening to escape.

"You can't know that," Carol paused and wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. "Now you lay back down and rest. We need you to regain your strength. Maggie needs you to get better. Can you do that for her?"

Glenn grunted his annoyance at hearing Maggie's name but reluctantly leaned back against the wall. He may love that woman, but that didn't keep him from being annoyed with her right now.

He thought he had been hallucinating when the rescue party returned to the prison and the first person he saw as he climbed out of the backseat of the car was a ghost. He had been leaning heavily on Maggie's arm as he laid eyes on Carol Peletier. Carol…alive and well, standing there a smile on her face and Lori's baby in her arms. Before his mind could process that image, Glenn's eyes had rolled up into his head and he passed out cold from exhaustion, his dead weight falling against his screaming girlfriend as he collapsed in her arms.

When he finally woke up two days later, he had looked around, trying to find Maggie's face. His thoughts were of only her. Instead, he was met with the solemn expression of Hershel as he tended to the younger man's wounds. From the look that Hershel gave him, Glenn knew Hershel wasn't happy to be the bearer of bad news.

Hershel explained that his eldest daughter had returned to Woodbury with Rick and the new woman who had helped rescue him and Maggie, Michonne he thought her name was, to locate Daryl. She had waited to make sure Glenn was out of the woods before slipping away. Glenn had been angry when Hershel first broke the news to him. They had just escaped the town and she willingly returned on a reckless mission. Without him. That was what got Glenn the angriest of all; if something happened again he wouldn't be there to protect her.

As angry as he was with her, he also felt a fierce sense of pride that Maggie, _his_ Maggie, was willing to jump back into the fire to save one of their friends. No, not just one of their friends… one of their family.

No one knew why Daryl hadn't followed the group out of Woodbury, but one thing was certain; Daryl hadn't stayed of his own free will. Rick had given Daryl a direct order, and Daryl would not disobey an order from Rick; it would endanger the group to disobey an order. Glenn knew Daryl well enough to know the redneck wouldn't do anything to endanger the group, in particular certain members of their group. Glenn couldn't help but smile slightly as he looked at Carol sitting next to him on the tiny prison mattress. Daryl won't do anything to hurt _her_.

Glenn's attention was captured by a loud cough coming from the door of the cell. He looked up to see Axel standing there, leaning against the doorway. Trailing the inmate closely was Carl, his sheriff's hat low on his head and his gun tucked into the waistband of his pants.

"Well hello Carol," drawled Axel as he strutted into Glenn's cell, his eyes on the only woman in the room. "I've been trying to find you all morning. You're lookin' pretty today."

Glenn looked up at the inmate standing over his bed. The young Korean man's eyes flicked back to Carol, taking in her grimy appearance and worn-out clothing. Her hands were covered in his own blood from tending to his wounds. Glenn smirked as he caught her rolling her eyes at the obviously unwanted compliment. She turned to face Axel, a hint of annoyance in her voice.

"Is there something in particular you want Axel? I've got chores to do."

Without waiting for an answer, Carol turned away from Axel and bent to pick up the wash basin from the floor. Glenn watched as Axel's eyes trailed Carol's every movement, the convict's hand unconsciously stroking his moustache as he did so. Glenn could see the man blatantly staring at Carol's ass as she straightened. The Korean man's eyes narrowed as Axel licked his lips, the prisoner still watching Carol's form.

Carol righted herself, oblivious to Axel's actions. The woman turned towards the men in the cell. "I'm going to go get myself cleaned up and feed Judith. You will let me know if you need anything...right Glenn." There was no question in her voice as she addressed the injured man. Carol offered him a small smile that didn't quite touch her eyes. She turned to exit the cell.

"Carol, I could help you with the baby if you like," offered Axel. "Maybe after you've tended to the young'un, we could go someplace and… talk. We could talk about what you said to me the other day. Maybe you'd be interested in that now."

Glenn watched as she shot the inmate an exhausted look. Obviously, she was sick of dealing with a man who was not getting the message.

"I don't want your help. I don't want to go anywhere with you. I'm not interested. You want to do something useful? Stay here and watch Glenn," Carol signed, turning as she did to give Glenn an apologetic smile as she mouthed 'sorry' to him. She affectionately tipped Carl's hat as she walked past the young boy, exiting the cell into the prison hallway beyond.

Glenn watched as Axel followed Carol to the door of the cell. The inmate leaned his body out of the door, following the woman as far as he dared. Axel's head swayed slightly side to side, in a way that Glenn could plainly see was mimicking the delicate sway of Carol's hips as she walked away.

Glenn didn't know what was going on between Carol and Axel, but he could see that whatever Axel thought was happening, Carol wasn't interested. And apparently Axel wasn't getting the message. Glenn didn't like the way Axel stared after Carol. There was a faint glimmer in the inmate's eye; a calculating look.

Glenn wouldn't want Axel to look at Maggie like that. He didn't trust that look. It was a look that generally got someone into prison in the first place.

Suddenly, an idea came to Glenn that was too perfect to pass up. He knew how to get Axel to leave Carol alone and give himself some much needed entertainment in the process. Glenn beckoned to Carl, motioning for him to come further into the cell and sit down. He would need the younger Grimes near him for this to work. Carl walked further into the cell and sat on the foot of the bed, shotting Glenn a questioning look as he did so.

Glenn waited until he was sure Carol was out of earshot before he spoke to Axel.

"Do you have any idea what Daryl will do to you if he catches you making eyes at his girl?" Glenn asked as he leaned forward, ignoring the pain from his torso. He settled into more comfortable position with his arms resting on his knees as he addressed the man still standing at the doorway to the cell.

"What? Whatta ya mean _his girl_?" Axel asked as he turned to face Glenn, a confused expression overtaking his face.

Glenn hung his head, trying to hide his grin. He snuck a look at Carl, who was wearing as equally confused expression as Axel. The Korean man winked his good eye at the young Grimes. Carl instantly lost the confused expression, took a moment and nodded his head in agreement. Glenn looked up, pausing for a moment to enjoy the baffled look on Axel's face.

"Carol," Glenn pointed out of the cell in the direction the woman had left, "is with Daryl Dixon. When he gets back, he's not going to take too kindly to someone moving in on his turf."

Axel's head swung from Glenn to the direction that Carol had walked away in, down the now empty hallway.

"I thought she was a lesbian. I didn't know she was Daryl's. I mean, I never seen him touch her or nothing." Axel's whined as he spoke.

Glenn chocked back a laugh. Carol…a lesbian? This was going better than he expected. "Do you really want to bring that up to Daryl when he's back? That you haven't seen him get grabby with Carol so you thought _you'd_ hit on her? He's gonna be pissed off enough as it is, and you want to add fuel to that fire?" Glenn shook his head in disbelief as he gently leaned back against the wall, wincing at the motion. "You're a braver man than me, Axel."

"I don't believe it. I still say I haven't seen her with him like that," Axel shook his head in disbelief.

"Haven't you ever noticed that it's always Carol bringing Daryl his food? She does his laundry. No one else pays attention to that redneck like she does. And Daryl's eyes are always on Carol. You saw him after we thought Carol was dead right?" Axel slowly nodded his head in acknowledgment to Glenn. Now that the young man had the inmate's attention Glenn didn't want to lose it. "He tried to hide it from us, but Daryl nearly lost it then. He couldn't deal with the fact she was dead. We all had an understanding that Carol was off-limits to the rest of us. And you, my friend, are hitting on her like there's no tomorrow? I wouldn't want to be in your shoes when Daryl gets back and finds out you've tried to make a move on his woman."

"What ya mean by that? What's he gonna do to me? I ain't done nothing; only talked to her is all," Axel moved forward and sat across from Glenn, his attention solely on the injured man in front of him.

Carl sat forward, catching onto Glenn's plan.

"You should really be careful around Daryl. He doesn't even like me going near his bike, and he likes Carol _way_ more than he likes that bike," Carl's face was entirely believable as he spoke to Axel.

"Axel," Glenn started trying not to chuckle at Carl's contribution to the tale, "You've been following Carol around like a shadow. All I'm saying is that I wouldn't piss off the extremely protective guy with a crossbow permanently attached to his arm."

Axel started shaking at Glenn's last words.

"You've seen Daryl with a bow; he's lethal. He never misses." Glenn held Axel's gaze as he said this. He didn't have to make up that part at least. Daryl never missed.

"You think he'll kill me?" Gulped Axel, finally realising how much danger he was potentially in.

"I'm not saying he'd kill you, but I wouldn't piss off the person who would shoot you _anywhere_," Glenn emphasized as he nodded towards Axels groin. At this gesture, the inmate before him crossed his legs and shrunk down against the cell wall. Glenn was having trouble holding in his laughter. This was more fun than Portal.

"Daryl wouldn't kill you…not straight away at least. He'd make you hurt. Hell… wouldn't even surprise me if he broke your kneecaps and dumped you in a herd of walkers," Glenn took a moment to enjoy the look of horror and pain playing out over Axel's panicked face.

Looking to his left, Glenn could see Carl's head was bowed and shaking lightly with laughter. He elbowed the young boy gently in the ribs. If Carl blew this Axel would never leave Carol alone again. The young boy instantly sat upright with a scared expression fixed on his face. He even went so far as to wipe imaginary tears from his eyes. Turning real laughter into fake crying, damn this kid was good! Drawing a deep and what he hoped was a dramatic breath, Glenn continued.

"But see, Daryl… he's the sane Dixon. Merle, his older brother, now he's the one you've really got to worry about."


	2. Chapter 2

"Brother? What's his brother got to do with me? I didn't even know he had a brother."

Glenn turned his head from Axel and snuck another wink at Carl. There was an almost imperceptible nod of the young boy's head in understanding. Turning to face Axel again, Glenn watched as the older man slowly relaxed against the wall, his imagined pain at the hands of Daryl Dixon momentarily forgotten.

"You know that Carol was originally Merle's, right?" Glenn paused at the shocked expression that instantly appeared on Axel's face. It took every ounce of self-control Glenn had to keep a straight face himself. "She and him were a thing when the group first got together outside Atlanta. There was this understanding within the group that no one was to go near Carol. We couldn't even say hi to her. Merle was that controlling of what was his," Glenn really hoped Axel was gullible enough to believe that.

"What happened to this brother then? Where's he at?"

"Merle got left behind on a supply run and we thought we'd lost him. Some stuff happened, and we thought Walkers got him. We all thought he was dead. Carol and Daryl grew closer after that. She became his once Merle was presumed dead. It was something we all knew but never talked about.

"When Maggie and I…" Glenn faltered for a second at saying her name as he remembered the horrors they endured. Maybe he wasn't so angry with her anymore. "We, uh, found Merle in Woodbury when we did the run for Judith's formula. That's where Daryl is now…with him. They're making their way back here as we speak."

"What makes you think this Merle would come at me? Wouldn't he be more pissed at his brother for taking his girl?" Axel had a defiant glint in his eye as he spoke.

"No, that's the weird thing. Merle and Daryl, they're brothers," Glenn paused, staring straight at Axel. "They're really close."

Glenn could barely stop his smile from cracking though at the disgusted expression on Axel's face.

"No dude, I don't mean like that," Glenn chuckled as he held up his hand to silence the choking sounds coming from Axel. "They're not like hillbilly inbred close or anything. After one brother, she went to the next in line, kinda like she was left to Daryl in Merle's will. That's how the brothers were; what's mine is yours. That's how Daryl got his bike too." Carl nodded his agreement with Glenn as the injured man continued. "Everything belonged to Merle. It's just…Carol is practically a Dixon, and they go after outsiders before they spill their own blood."

"Merle was the one who beat Glenn up in Woodbury," Carl added, a hint of fear in his voice. He wanted to show Axel how dangerous Merle was. At least he didn't have to lie about that.

Glenn nodded his head slowly in agreement. "That's true. Merle did this," Glenn gestured to his body, motioning from his head to his feet.

"Whatcha do to him? You ain't been touching Carol, have you? You got Maggie for that. It wouldn't be fair if you got two women when the rest of us got none," whined Axel.

Glenn allowed himself to laugh at Axel's question. God, this guy was a moron.

"No, I didn't touch Carol," Glenn laughed at that thought. Maggie would kill him if he even looked at another woman. Not that there were that many other women to look at now. Plus, Carol was Carol. Sweet, kind, motherly Carol. He had never thought of her in _that_ way. But Axel didn't need to know that.

Glenn shrugged his shoulders in a defeated manner. "I told Merle that Carol was looking good since he left. _Really good_. I even told him she had a nice ass," Glenn smiled as he said that. Maggie really would kill him if she heard that Glenn even said those words about Carol. And Daryl would _definitely_ kill him for saying that. "I never liked Merle. He was always a racist dick to me so I wanted to get under his skin. Dixon didn't like hearing me say those things. In hindsight, that was probably not one of my best ideas. The crazy bastard got so mad he even locked me in a room with a walker."

"He locked you with a walker?"

"Not only that, he tied me to a chair and left me for the walker to eat. Dixon's are very possessive. I only said one thing about Carol and look at what he did to me. When Merle hears that you've hitting on Carol nonstop, well… I wouldn't want to be you. Dixon's, they protect each other. Someone tries to come between them and something of theirs…even I couldn't run fast enough."

"And Glenn's super-fast. Maggie says so all the time," added Carl.

"Dude," Glenn said quietly as he shot Carl an exhausted look. "Not cool."

Carl gave the injured man an unapologetic shrug of his shoulders. "You are fast; you're the best runner we have. That is _very_ cool."

Glenn gave Carl a final withering look before returning his attention to the now scared inmate still sitting across from him.

"The Dixon Brothers are crazy, violent hicks when they're together. I'd think very carefully before you try and hit on Carol again," Glenn's voice had a hint of steel to it as he offered Axel this piece of advice.

Axel sat silently, taking in everything Glenn and Carl had told him. His eyes darted nervously to the cell door, as if he expected Daryl or Merle to walk in at any moment. "But Daryl's and his brother aren't back yet, are they?" Axel stammered, nerves clearly getting the best of him. "They might never come back. Then Carol's gonna need someone to look after her." Axel was stubborn; Glenn had to give him that at least. Stupid, but stubborn.

Glenn shook his head in disagreement, wincing at the pain from his ribs at doing so. "Trust me Axel, Daryl's coming back. He once got thrown by a horse and then impaled with an arrow _after _falling off a cliff in the middle of the woods, and he still walked back to basecamp. There's no way he's not coming back. Merle will be here too, don't forget that. I'd do everything I could to stay clear of the Dixon brothers."

"And he killed two walkers and got shot in the head on the same day. Daryl's like the Apocalypse Superman or something. Nothing can hurt him," Carl added with a smug nod of his head.

Glenn looked at Carl, shaking his head in disagreement. "Nah, I think he's more like the Hulk," Glenn shot Axel a sideways look, his voice completely serious. "You wouldn't like him when he's angry."

Axel stared at Glenn; digesting the warning he'd been given. His eyes were filled with fear. The inmate stood and left Glenn's cell, muttering to himself, _"But I didn't know she was spoken for, I thought she was a lesbian…"_ Glenn watched as Axel retreated to the direction of his cellblock.

Carl followed Axel to the doorway, watching the scared man shuffle away with a defeated slump to his shoulders. Once Axel had turned a corner, effectively leaving Glenn and Carl alone, the boy in the sheriff hat started giggling. Loudly. The young boy's laughter was infectious, and soon Glenn had tears streaming from his eyes as he joined in. Scaring Axel away from Carol had been the funniest thing Glenn had done in the longest time. The laughing fit tapered off gradually, and eventually the two were just chuckling to themselves occasionally. Laughing probably hadn't been the best idea; Glenn's ribs felt like someone was twisting a knife along each fracture as he struggled to get his breath back.

The look on Axel's face as he ran away scared was worth whatever pain Glenn was in now though.

Wiping his eyes with the back of his hand, Glenn looked across the cell to see Carl staring at him intently. The laughter that was in his face a moment ago was now replaced with a serious expression; an expression too old for the young boy in the sherriff's hat.

"Why'd you tell Axel those things? About Merle I mean. I get why you said those things 'bout Daryl, but why'd you tell him Carol was Merle's girlfriend? That part was gross," Carl wrinkled his nose in disgust.

Glenn sighed, running his hand through his hair as he stared at the cell floor. "It seemed like a good idea at the time?" Glenn grew serious, all traces of humour now gone from his voice as he spoke. "I don't know Carl, it's just, the way Axel was looking at Carol… I didn't think it would hurt if he was extra scared to go near her. The threat of Daryl is bad enough, but Merle, well… he scares everyone who's ever met him. Merle has that effect on people, even if Axel hasn't actually met him yet. And I know Daryl wouldn't want Axel following Carol around the way he has been. Two Dixon's are scarier than one." Glenn's eyes darted around the cell, too embarrassed with the lie he'd told Axel to look Carl in the face.

Carl thought for a moment, nodding his head in understanding.

"Carol doesn't trust Axel,' Carl confided quietly to Glenn. The boy stuck his head outside cell, looking left to right, checking they were completely alone. When he was satisfied they were still alone he continued in a slightly more confident voice, "Carol asked me to keep an eye on Beth whenever Axel was around."

Glenn looked at Carl sharply, "When did she ask you that?"

"When you and Maggie where, uh… gone," Carl shuffled nervously from one foot to the other, looking anywhere but injuries of the young man in front of him. "It was after my Dad and Daryl had gone to rescue you. She asked me to always stay with Beth if Hershel wasn't there. Carol didn't say why, but I knew she thought Axel would try to… Beth… he's always looking at her. Kinda like how you look at Maggie, or my Mom used to look at my Dad when he first found us at the Atlanta base camp. Looks that lasted a long time…but the way Axel looks at Beth, its different… it's creepy," Carl paused, his fists balled at his sides. When he looked at Glenn again, his voice was filled with steel. "I didn't like Axel looking at Beth that way. When she was holding Judith, or making dinner; watching her with this look on his face. She didn't notice, but I saw. He shouldn't be looking at Beth that way."

"I agree Carl, Axel should _never_ look at Beth that way." Glenn rubbed his hands over his face. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. This conversation was sobering after the one they'd just had with Axel.

"When Daryl's back we'll tell him. I can't do anything like this. I can barely leave this cell. I've got a bad feeling about Axel. I don't trust him either. I think that's why I wanted to scare him away from Carol," Glenn drew a deep breath, again running his hand through his hair. "It's all I can do to help keep the group safe right now; if I have to lie to Axel 'til I'm blue in the face, that's what I'm going to do.

"Listen bud," Glenn paused, making sure he had Carl's full attention, "I need you to keep up that watch on Beth, even when everyone comes back from Woodbury. If Maggie or Hershel aren't with her, you will be. Actually, keep an eye on her even when she's with someone else. Beth and Hershel don't carry guns in here, so it's better to have someone always carrying just in case."

"Do you really think Daryl's coming back?" Carl asked, looking questioningly at Glenn.

Glenn took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "I don't know Carl. We've lost so many already. Daryl… we need him. When I first met Daryl, I never would have thought that racist redneck would become my friend. But the group needs him. We can't lose any more family. Carol's already lost her husband and Sophia; I don't think she could handle loosing Daryl too. She won't say it, but Carol needs Daryl. I don't think she could take it if he never came back. He's all the family she has now. I don't believe he wouldn't come back. He needs us just as much as we need him."

"But now Merle's alive. Daryl's got his brother back. He won't need us anymore," Carl's voice was filled with uncertainly about Daryl's return.

"He'll be back. Daryl Dixon isn't the man he used to be. If he's still alive, he'll come back," Glenn was certain about that fact. Daryl Dixon wouldn't leave his surrogate family now. He wouldn't leave Carol. Even if Daryl wouldn't admit it to himself, Glenn could see that there was a special bond between the two loners of the group.

"If he does are you gonna tell him 'bout Axel?" asked Carl.

"Definitely. I'm gonna enjoy watching Daryl kick Axels' ass." Glenn chuckled at the thought. If his ribs had healed by then he might even help with the ass kicking.

"That'll be so awesome," Carl grinned in agreement. The grin suddenly fell from his face when realisation hit him. "But what's he going to do to us when he finds out all that stuff we made up about him and Carol?"

**A/N: Thank you for the kind reviews. The response to this fic has been amazing. This is my first attemp at writing humor. Drama or angst I can do, but humor is tricky. I hope you enjoyed this latest chapter!**


	3. Chapter 3

Carol stood alone in her cell, focusing on folding laundry. She had been trying without success to fold the same shirt for 10 minutes now. The problem was that it wasn't her shirt she was folding.

It was Daryl's.

She had been trying all day not to think about _him_; the missing member of their group. She needed to be distracted; busying herself with whatever chore she could find. Laundry had been the last item on her list to tend to. She had almost survived the day without the depressing thoughts that accompanied his absence. She was doing well too. All it took was one look at the sleeveless plaid shirt in her hands and Carol's world came crashing down around her.

She wouldn't say it, but she felt his absence most of all. More than any other member of their ragtag family that had been lost. The days waiting for Glenn and Maggie to return from their run when they had in truth been abducted, Lori's passing, Andrea being overrun at the Greene farm…even T-Dog's sacrifice so she could live. All these events had affected her horribly. She had lived to witness more horrors in her short life than most people would have to endure throughout their entire existence.

But watching the rescue party as the climbed out of the car when they returned to the prison and realizing Daryl's face wasn't amongst them…that had nearly destroyed her. If she hadn't of been cradling Judith in her arms, she was sure she would of broken down in the middle of the prison yard, sinking to the ground in despair. Instead she had clung to the baby like it was a lifeline. Judith saved Carol from slipping into the darkness of instant insanity that day. Hershel's vet training wasn't equipped to bring her back if that had of happened.

A broken heart was something you couldn't cure.

There was only one other moment in her life when Carol felt more despondent; so horribly helpless and hopeless that she had wanted to sink into nothingness and never surface again; the day Sophia had been found.

When her baby shuffled out of the darkness of the barn into the bright sunlight, Carol had felt like her soul was being ripped from her body by a cruel and heartless God.

But Daryl had been her lifeline that day, holding her back from her dead daughter and keeping her anchored to sanity. Daryl, the man who kept everyone at bay with his harsh words and volatile temperament had been the one to reach out for her. She had seen him shy away from her touch, from physical contact of any sort, and yet _he_ had been the one to hold her tightly without hesitation. He kept her alive that day.

Carol felt fresh tears tugging at her eyes at the memory of her precious daughter. Memories of Sophia combined with memories of Daryl were almost too must to bear. Without realising she was doing it, Carol raised her hand and buried her face in the clean plaid shirt she still held.

She couldn't bring herself to put his shirt down. Now, this worn piece of clothing was her lifeline.

"Carol?"

Glenn's voice broke though Carol's painful thoughts, snapping her back to reality. She turned, finding the young man standing at the doorway to her cell. One of his hands was tightly gripping a metal bar for support; the other hand was wrapped protectively around his torso. It was clear his wounds hadn't healed yet. He'd only regained consciousness three days ago from the injuries he sustained at Woodbury; there was no way he should be walking around so soon. Carol frowned slightly upon seeing him standing there. He had been given strict orders for bed rest from both herself and Hershel.

"Glenn what are you doing? You should be in bed still. Maggie will have kittens if she gets back and finds I haven't been looking after you," Carol chided, trying to hide the tears in her voice.

Glenn's only response was an annoyed grunt at hearing his girlfriend's name.

Carol took a deep breath, determined to push away her thoughts of the two people in her life that weren't with her now. She arranged her face to what she thought was a stern expression. "You really should be resting Glenn. You want a hand getting back to your cell?"

"Actually, I need to talk to you Carol," Glenn paused still leaning against the cell door for support. His eyes looked around, finally landing on the item of clothing in the woman's hand. Everyone knew who that shirt belonged to. His eyes never left the shirt as he took a nervous gulp of air.

"I have to ask, has Axel been, ah… bothering you lately?" Glenn asked, his voice a mixture of embarrassment and uncertainty. Glenn couldn't bring himself to meet her eyes when he asked the question, instead his gaze stayed fixed on her hands…on Daryl's shirt.

Carol signed. She felt exhausted just thinking of the issue of Axel and his unwanted attention. "I should have never told Axel I wasn't a lesbian."

He let out a tension filled chuckle. "Yeah, I um…I heard about that. I still can't believe he thought you were a lesbian. Why'd he think that anyway? That's the one thing he didn't tell me."

"Apparently I have a lesbian haircut," answered Carol as she pointed to her head, her lips twitching up into an amused smile as she did.

"Seriously? That's the only reason? I didn't realise there was a link between hair length and sexuality," Glenn was lost in thought for a moment. "Hey, Axel's hair is pretty long…you think he was someone's wife in here?" Glenn wiggled his eyebrows in a suggestive manner.

Carol burst out laughing at Glenn's expression. "He'd make someone a very ugly bride, I know that for sure!"

The sounds of their combined laughter echoed in the confined space. It was good to laugh after her painful memories of Sophia.

Glenn slowly stepped into Carol's cell. "I need to talk to you about something. I know I should be resting, but this can't wait," the young man paused, not sure how best to continue. "I've done something Carol, and you might not like it," Glenn's voice was hesitant as he spoke.

"What could you have possibly done that's so bad Glenn?"

The young man leaned back against the cell door bars, obviously still in pain. His hands were tightly wrung together. Carol couldn't tell whether due to pain or stress. She waited for him to continue.

"I had the best intensions doing this, just remember that. I…may have told Axel that…well…you have a thing with both Daryl and Merle. Actually, I told him you belonged to Merle and the Dixon brothers are really close and that they'd rather share you than have someone else talk to their woman and when Daryl gets back here he'd feed Axel to a group of walkers if he found out the Axel was hitting on you," Glenn blurted out the entire story in one breath.

Carol blinked her eyes in confusion. "Run that by me again?"

"When you cleaned me up yesterday…I noticed that Axel kept watching you. And he didn't seem to take the hint when you gave him the brush-off. The way he was looking at you as you walked away, it made me uneasy. He's obviously into you Carol, but he doesn't seem to understand that you're not interested. A guy like that, he doesn't take no for an answer. So I thought 'I can scare this guy away from you and entertain myself in the process.' So I told him you used to be with Merle, and when he went missing you and Daryl, well, you know…started knocking boots," Glenn paused, trying to gage her reaction. "Funny, huh?"

The young man shrugged, offering Carol a nervous smile as he finished his story.

She felt herself sink down onto the cell bunk at Glenn's admission, closing her eyes as she sat. She needed to process what she had just heard. What the hell had he been thinking? Was he crazy? Telling Axel to stay away because Daryl might get _jealous_? And that she was the type of woman who slept with brothers? Glenn made her out to be the whore of Babylon. Carol pinched the bridge of her nose; she could feel the beginnings of a tension headache coming on.

She could hear Glenn standing still across from her, shifting his weight from one foot to the other nervously.

"You're not laughing, are you? 'Cause Carl and I thought it was hilari-" Glenn's voice ceased when he caught the anger filled glare Carol shot his way.

"Carl! What does Carl have to do with this little story?"

"I may have had his help telling Axel certain things…but its ok. We had a really good reason for doing it. Carl knows none of its true," Glenn held up his hands in defence.

"So you're telling me Glenn that you decided to scare Axel away by telling him I'm sleeping with the Dixon brothers? At the same time! Did you really think something like that would scare him off? That twisted little weasel would probably like to watch!" Carol shook her hands in outrage.

"Technically, I told you had been with Merle first, then once he went missing Daryl, ah, inherited you..." Glenn could feel the hole he was digging himself into getting deeper and deeper as he kept talking, but for some reason he couldn't seem to stop the flow of words from leaving his mouth.

"Inherited?" Carol snorted. "I'm flattered. Given away like Great Aunt Mary's silver tea service, is that it? Why didn't you just tell Axel that the Dixon's won me in a game of poker!"

"…a game of poker," Glenn thought for a moment. "That's awesome! Why didn't I think of that? You think if I told Ax…" the young man's voice was silenced by the scathing look Carol levelled at him.

Glenn scrambled to appease the angry woman. "It's not like I told you and Daryl were fuc…friends with benefits or anything like that. I told him you and Daryl were together and that Daryl wouldn't like someone trying to pick up his girl when he wasn't here."

She sat still for a moment, processing what she had just heard. The sudden burst of anger she had felt initially upon hearing Glenn's story was slowly ebbing away. A wave of exhaustion was threatening to take its place.

"Daryl's girl?" Carol asked quietly, allowing herself the momentary luxury of believing the lie. "And Axel actually believed that?" She was absently playing with one of the buttons on Daryl's shirt as she spoke. She hadn't even realised she was still holding onto it. The thought of being with Daryl was something she usually pushed out of her mind. Why think about something that you knew would never happen?

"It's not that hard to believe," Glenn muttered under his breath.

Carol looked up at Glenn, all traces of anger gone from her face. "At least that explains why Axel has left me alone. I've barely seen him since I left him with you and Carl in your cell. He didn't even take the dinner I offered him last night. I hadn't really realised that he's left me alone. My mind's been…elsewhere," the woman paused, looking up from the plaid shirt in her hands to the young man standing before her. "Don't get me wrong, the break from my shadow has been wonderful…but did you have to bring Daryl into this…tale? This elaborate story you and Carl have created puts me in an embarrassing position."

"I didn't mean to put you in an embarrassing position Carol, but I didn't like the way Axel was watching you. It gave me a really bad feeling," Glenn looked at his hands as he spoke. "I know that Daryl wouldn't like the way Axel was hanging around you. Not taking the hint. That guy's trouble, and with me barely able to move…I can't help out if something was to happen. So I thought if Axel knew how unbalanced Merle was, he might leave you alone. The only other protection we have here is a gun toting 12 year old in a cowboy hat! So I told a little lie to Axel to make sure he keeps his hands to himself.

"I know I should say sorry, but I'm not…sorry I mean. If it means keeping one of the group safe, I'll tell Axel that Daryl and Merle called dibs on everyone in the prison, both men and women!"

Carol giggled at the thought.

Glenn gave Carol a hesitant smile. He took her laughter as a sign that she wasn't too anger with him and Carl.

A memory from the Greene farm suddenly came back to Carol. "How did you manage it Glenn? Everyone knows you're a terrible liar."

"Woodbury," that one word from Glenn spoke volumes. "I nearly lost Maggie. The only way I could protect her and protect the group was to lie. To protect the people you love, you get over hang ups like not being able to lie. The way I look at it, I wasn't exactly lying to Axel; more like weaving a story for my amusement."

"Is that everything you weaved?" Carol's voice sounded so exhausted, even to her own ears.

"More or less…"

"How 'bout you tell me the more now."

"I told Axel that Merle beat me up in Woodbury," Glenn pushed off from the cell wall, moving to sit on the bed next to Carol. "Actually, Carl told him that part."

Carol nodded her head in understanding. "That's the truth though; Merle isn't the most balanced person from what I remember of him."

Glenn nodded in agreement. "I was trying to show how dangerous an angry Dixon could be," he paused to take a deep breath. "I said Merle hit me 'cause I told him you had a nice ass. And Axel believed me! Out of everything I told him yesterday, I really can't believe he swallowed that lie!"

Carol nearly burst out laughing at Glenn's latest admission. All traces of her headache had gone and she was starting to see the funny side of the story Glenn and Carl had created. The young man obviously hadn't realised what he had just said though. How insulting it sounded.

Carol shot Glenn an amused look. "Are you saying I _don't_ have a nice ass?"

Glenn's eyes widened with horror as he realised exactly what he had just said to his friend. "It's not that you don't have a nice ass Carol, because you do. Not…not that I've ever really looked before. I would never…I haven't, um…looked at you like…it's just…" Glenn floundered for the right words, trying desperately to answer Carol's question without making a bigger fool of himself. "Normally I don't look."

"Oh, I get it…you don't _normally_ look. Does that mean you're been looking lately?" Carol's voice was teasing him now.

Glenn groaned, "I, um, oh God…I haven't. I mean, I wouldn't…I would never _look_…" he paused, trying to gather his senses. "Please don't tell Maggie I said that. She's gonna kill me it she thinks that I…you…" Glenn was gesturing wildly back and forth between himself and Carol.

Carol chuckled at Glenn's embarrassment. "It's ok, I'm only teasing. I know you didn't mean it how it sounded, I just wanted to have some fun, just like you and Carl had at my expense with Axel."

The young man let out a sigh of relief. "Point taken."

"Whatever possessed you Glenn? I thought you knew Daryl better by now. Do you really think he's the kind of man to feed someone to a group of walkers? That's probably the worst part of your story," she absently played with a loose threat from the shirt in her lap. Carol sat in silence as she tried to dismiss the image in her head of Daryl actually feeding someone to a group of walkers. The thread in her hand was fraying more and more with each passing second.

Quietly, in a voice Glenn could barely hear, she continued. "He's a good man. He's not like his brother. I know what Merle did to you, but Daryl would never do that to someone."

The young man sighed next to her, running a hand through his hair. "You're right, Daryl's a good man. He's been a good friend to me. Normally, I wouldn't even dream of Daryl doing that. But Carol, you've become Daryl's family. Until now, you've been the only family he had left. If anything happened to you…he wouldn't hesitate. I saw what it did to him when he thought you were dead. He shut down. He wouldn't talk about it…wouldn't talk about you with anyone," Glenn's voice was soft as he reached across to place his hand over the hand of hers still clutching tightly to Daryl's shirt. "That good man he's become since losing his brother in Atlanta…I think that good man would disappear instantly if something happened to you. He's do anything to protect you."

They sat, gently holding hands as both thought about the good man now missing in Woodbury.

Glenn cleared his throat loudly, trying to break the solemn mood. "Now Merle…him I'm not too sure about. I don't think he's the type to protect his brother's girlfriend out of a sense of family pride." He snuck a sideways look at Carol, gaging her reaction to his joke.

"I thought I belonged to both Dixon brothers? Aren't you worried about Daryl and Merle catching _you_ with their girlfriend now? You best be careful Glenn. What do you think Daryl will do to you when he finds out you've been gossiping about him behind his back?" Carol asked, chuckling in amusement at the idea of two protective, possessive brothers defending her honour.

Glenn thought for a moment, taking his time to answer. "I was hoping Daryl would see the funny side of it."

"Have you even known Daryl to see the funny side of anything?" Carol quipped, the corner of her mouth turning up into a mocking smile.

The young man sitting next to her leaned back against the wall, wincing with pain as his bruised body connected with cement.

"Oh God, Daryl's really gonna kill me, isn't he?"

Carol leaned back against the wall to mimic Glenn's position. "Yes, I think he really will," she laughed.

The sound of Beth's screaming voice coming from outside the prison interrupted their conversation. Carol and Glenn looked at each other, the fear they felt mirrored in each other's eyes. In that moment, the two friends shared one thought; walkers. Carol ran from her cell, followed closely by Glenn as he struggled to keep her pace. They both rushed out, knives draw and ready to battle whatever was awaiting them.

The raised voices grew louder the closer Carol got to the prison yard. With a grunt of exertion, she pushed the steel door open before her and sprung into the sunlight filled yard, her knife raised high above her head poised to take down a walker. She didn't need the knife for a walker attack though.

She and Glenn had been the last of their group to make it outside. Axel, Hershel and Beth stood before her. Beth's sobs were radiating throughout the prison yard.

With a strangled cry, Carol dropped her knife, letting it clatter to the floor with total disregard as it slipped through her fingers. Her other hand still held Daryl's shirt; she hadn't realised in her panic that she had carried it out to the yard with her. As her muscles relaxed, his shirt followed suit and fluttered to the ground, forgotten. She didn't need that as a lifeline anyone.

They were back.

Michonne stood in the centre of the yard, her katana drawn and levelled at the group surrounding her. It was obvious she didn't trust anyone. The other members of the rescue party stood behind her, but there was only one face Carol saw amongst them.

Daryl Dixon was standing in the middle of the yard, alive. Bloody and covered in dirt, his eyes flickering from face to face of the assembled group before him as Rick tried to hold his attention, speaking to him softly. She felt a moan of relief escape her lips before she could control it.

When that sound left her lips, Daryl's eye's met hers finally. She saw the corner of his mouth flick up slightly in a secret smirk; his trademark greeting for her and her alone. He nodded lightly in her direction, ignoring the speaking sheriff's deputy at his side. He held her gaze longer than he normally would have. It took every ounce of strength she had not to run across the yard and slam her body into his in welcome. But that wasn't them. Daryl did not respond well to touch or emotional displays. She settled for returning his slight smile with a beaming one of her own she couldn't control.

* * *

Relief was radiating from Glenn as he watched Maggie cling tightly to her sister and father. Beth's crying was now mixed with the sounds of Maggie's as the sisters grasped each other. The anger he had felt at her leaving was all but gone, mollified by the knowledge she was home safe again. Home with him. He didn't want to intrude upon the family reunion just yet. He was happy to watch them for now.

His eyes left the Greene's, taking in everyone before him. Carl had sprinted from the watch tower to collide with his father's outstretched arms, knocking both of them to the ground. Daryl looked horrible, but he was alive and in one piece. He stood in front of the car they had returned in, seeming to guard it. Glenn could make out the shape of a body still in the backseat. He saw red as he realised it was Merle Dixon sitting there. The man who had beaten him within an inch of his life, who had held a blade to Maggie's head threatening her, had been brought back to the prison, with Daryl acting as his bodyguard. As angry as Glenn was though, he had expected it. How could he not. Daryl wouldn't leave his brother behind. Not again.

He was a better man than that.

That didn't mean Glenn had to happy about the situation though.

Carol had made her way over to Daryl, both of them standing by the car. Their heads were bowed together in a private conversation as Daryl gestured to the passenger still on the backseat. They didn't touch, but their bodies leaned towards each other, like the pull of a magnetic force they had no control over. Glenn felt himself smile as he watched them; they really had no idea that while they hadn't admitted their own feelings to themselves, it was blatantly obvious to anyone who saw them together that there was a connection between them.

Glenn felt the presence of Axel as the inmate moved next to him. The older man huffed in annoyance as he watched the two reunited people by the car.

"See," Glenn motioned his chin towards the Carol and Daryl. "I told you. Carol is Daryl's. No question about it."

**A/N Thank you all for the wonderful reviews, I really do appreciate each and every one. More hilarity will ensue within the coming chapters now that the group is reunited. Who will be next to have fun with idle threats?**


	4. Chapter 4

Daryl Dixon was bored. He did not take kindly to bed rest. He'd rather be out hunting, or patrolling, but today he had been ordered complete bed rest. A lot of that had been going around lately. Glenn had apparently had the same doctor's orders. Well, veterinarian's orders, Daryl thought to himself with a smirk. All he could do was stare at the prison ceiling above his perch and think about what happened at Woodbury. Or try not to think about it.

He and Merle had been lucky to get out of that town alive. Those townspeople were out for blood that night. After deciding an instant public fight-to-the-death was too good for the Dixon brothers, the Governor had thought sensory deprivation torture would be a more fitting punishment. The sadistic bastard knew the brothers wanted nothing more than to be reunited, so he offered them a taste of that reunion in the arena for a moment before separating them again.

He held them, isolated, in broom closets devoid of any light for what felt like an eternity. At the time, Daryl had no idea how long he'd been locked away.

Rick told him afterwards that four days had passed between rescuing Maggie and Glenn and his own recovery from Woodbury. Four days he'd been locked in a pitch black room. Alone.

By the end of it, Daryl had understood Carol's claustrophobia.

When the Governor called for the brothers to re-enter the ring, they were traumatized. Both had been blinded by the strong artificial light illuminating the arena as they entered. After four days in complete darkness, neither was up to the challenge of killing their kin. Daryl had looked to his brother for guidance; he had no idea how to escape this one. The sound of heavy gunfire had disrupted the impending fight. Daryl had never been so happy to hear so many shots in his life.

A couple of the prison smoke bombs thrown by Maggie had caused enough of a distraction for Daryl and Merle to slip away amongst the panicked crowd of spectators. Michonne had even had the foresight to scoop up Daryl's beloved crossbow as the group escaped; the group blending into the stampeding crowd as they fled.

The Dixon brothers had been lucky to get out of that town alive, albeit injured. It had been a close call. Almost too close for Daryl.

Definitely try not to think about that.

They had survived. The Dixon brothers, reunited at last…in a prison. The irony wasn't lost on him. If he had of taken a different path before the world went to shit, he and Merle probably would have spent most of their lives together in some form of lockup.

Now, Merle was locked in one of the cells not too far from the perch where Daryl lay.

Merle had been quiet during his introduction to the prison; too preoccupied licking his wounds from the run in with the Governor than to pay any attention to the people locking him up. He had barely spoken to Daryl since their return, other than to throw out a snide comment about Daryl being a pansy-ass for obeying to an old man's order of bed rest.

The majority of group had avoided Daryl since Merle's return. Almost everyone who's cell was on the same level as Daryl's perch had moved themselves to the row of cells below on the ground floor. Carol and Rick had been the only ones to look Daryl in the eye since he returned. He knew the others weren't avoiding him, it was just no one wanted to have anything to do with Merle. But the Dixon brothers were a package deal. And where Merle went, Daryl followed.

Always had, always would.

Daryl grunted in pain as he tried to get comfortable. If only he could get into a better position he might be able to lessen the throbbing pain in his left side. The pain came from a bullet sustained while escaping Woodbury.

That same afternoon the rescue mission had returned to the prison Hershel had managed to cleanly remove the bullet from Daryl's injured side. The clean removal did nothing to stem the onslaught of profanity that flowed from Daryl's mouth as the painful procedure occurred. General anesthetic was a luxury they didn't have anymore.

Carol had assisted the removal. She hovered behind Hershel the entire time, despite Daryl's objections, observing the procedure with a look of pure concentration on her face. She watched Hershel's movements like a hawk. She wanted every piece of medical training she could learn.

But every time he winced in pain Carol winced with him. Daryl had tried in vain to ignore the agony he was in. He didn't know when it had happened, but in-between Hershel digging into his body with a set of metal forceps and the pain shooting through him, Carol had grasped his hand, lacing her fingers with his, holding tightly onto him in an effort comfort him through his operation.

She shared his pain that afternoon.

He still didn't know if every time she had that winced that afternoon was from watching the gory surgery, or from the pain he must have caused crushing her hand in his.

After the bullet was out, Carol had gently untangled her hand, stretched her fingers and then proceeded to close the wound. Hershel had thought that this was as good of time as any for her to practice her technique.

Daryl was impressed with her determination, despite the fact he was being treated like a quilt at a sewing bee.

She was becoming a regular Florence Nightingale.

That was yesterday. Now, Daryl lay uncomfortably on his perch. Every time he moved he found a fresh piece of the mesh grate underneath him cut painfully into his back through the thin mattress he used, scratching his already tender skin. He had briefly thought about moving in a cell, onto a somewhat comfortable bed while he recovered. But he'd be damned is he was going to be willingly locked in a cage after just escaping Woodbury. That place was a different type of cage altogether.

A light creak of metal alerted Daryl to someone ascending the staircase to his perch. The threat of the Governor and his men was still fresh in his mind. Reflexes kicking in, he rolled to his nonto his injured side, stretching to reach his crossbow resting against the railing two feet away. He winced as a sharp, stabbing pain shot up his left side; his reward for moving his battered body too quickly. Ignoring the pain, he loaded a bolt and drew his weapon, lining the sight up with the top step of the landing.

Carol's smiling face bobbed into his view. He let out the agitated breath he had been holding and set his crossbow back on the floor next to his makeshift bed.

"Don't go creeping up on me like that, I could of shot you!"

Carol ignored his outburst. Kneeling next to him, she set about unpacking the first aid kit she was carrying. "Nice to see you too, Daryl. How're you feeling today?"

Daryl huffed in annoyance. "Feels like I've been shot."

Carol ducked her head, trying to hide the growing smirk on her lips. "That's good to know, 'cause if you felt like you were going to start singing show tunes I'd be worried you have a concussion as well as the hole in your side."

He grunted in response; he was in no mood for her jokes today. Daryl narrowed his eyes; staring at her while she sorted through the first aid kit, occasionally removing items. He had seen the smirk she tried to hide from him though. She didn't hide _that_ quickly enough. He didn't always like her jokes. He never knew if she was laughing at him or with him.

Knowing Carol, it was probably a bit of both.

She still had the hint of a smile on her face. He cleared his throat before speaking. "So what's all this for then?" Daryl asked, gesturing to the assortment of medical supplies strewn over his bed.

"This, Daryl, is obviously a five course dinner at The Ritz," Carol quipped, motioning to the gauze, cotton balls and bottle of antiseptic sitting before her.

He snorted at her latest joke. "That's good 'cause I thought you were fixing to play doctor with me or something," he groaned internally, instantly regretting the words as soon as they left his mouth. He knew Carol would take that the wrong way.

Carol looked at him slyly, a twinkle in her blue eyes. "Really? I never pegged you for someone who liked to role play."

Daryl shot her a frustrated look through narrowed eyes. "You know that's not what I meant."

"Don't you want me to look after _you_, Daryl?" she questioned, clearly enjoying the discomfort she was giving him as she reached out and toyed with one of the bolts lying next to the discarded crossbow, running her finger lazily down the length of it.

"Stop it," He huffed, embarrassed by her loaded question. Propping himself up on his elbow, he reached across and yanked the offending bolt form her hand. Like a sulking child, he didn't want anyone else playing with his toys. He felt the blush creeping onto him face as she stared at him. Damn, he wished it was night time so she wouldn't see.

Carol's answering giggle sounded through the dead air. As annoyed as he was, that giggle cut through him. He couldn't help but smirk in return.

"If you like darlin', I'd be happy to lend a hand and let you play doctor with me," Merle's voice interrupted the pair, calling loudly from his cell at the end of the walkway. He stood at the locked door to his cell; his only hand was wrapped around the bars as he leaned against them. Bastard was even wearing a smile on his face. "Just 'cause my baby brother don't know what he's missin' don't mean a pretty lady like you should give up on all Dixon men."

Daryl watched the annoyed expression that overtook Carol's face as she regarded Merle's words. She gave Daryl a small smile before directing her attention to the last cell on the end of the walkway.

"That won't be necessary Merle. I don't know where you've been, and I don't think there's enough penicillin left in the world to treat what's wrong with _you_. If I need a hand with anything, I _won't_ be letting you know. I think you know why," Carol's eyes flicked from Merle's stump to his face. The sarcasm was clear in her voice.

Merle's smile instantly changed to a snarl. "Listen sugar tits, I never hit a lady before, but you keep talking to me like that I might have to rethink that policy, 'cause you sure ain't acting like a lady," Merle was mad; his face was filled with rage.

Daryl had seen that look on his brother's face before. Merle usually looked like that right before he got into a bar fight with a drunk who had insulted him somehow. Those fights usually ended with Merle in jail for assault the other guy in the Emergency Room struggling to survive.

"And how, exactly, are you going to do that Merle?" Carol challenged, rising from Daryl's side and walking over to Merle's cell door. She crossed her arms in front of herself as she stared at the imprisoned man. "You're in there. I'm out here. Pretty sure I've got the advantage."

And in that moment, standing there with her arms folded in defiance, staring down Merle without an ounce of fear in her stance, Daryl was proud of her. She's come so far from the simpering, abused woman he remembered from the quarry. Now she was strong, with steel in her spine and fire in her eyes.

Carol Peletier was something else.

Despite his pride in the person she had become, Daryl couldn't let this go on. He'd watched the exchange like it was entertainment. Not much else to do in here where he couldn't leave the perch. But enough was enough. Carol was playing with a wasps nest, and soon she was going to get stung. He could take everything Merle had to give and then some, but he wouldn't let that happen to Carol. He couldn't. She's had enough crap in her life already from her asshole husband of hers.

Daryl didn't believe in Heaven, but he damned well hoped Ed was burning in Hell.

Merle stood silently regarding Carol for a moment, his anger and bluster gone. Instead, a calculating, thoughtful look had replaced it. Daryl could see the cogs in his brother's head turning as something was apparently falling into place there. Daryl made a move to stand, reaching for the perch railing to steady himself, but winced at the stabbing pain from the bullet wound as he twisted his torso. He fell, hard, back onto the metal floor, landing with a thud on his left knee. The metal grate cut into his kneecap as skin collided with steel, shooting fire through his leg. He ignored it though. He needed to break up the fight that was threatening to erupt between Carol and Merle.

Suddenly, the older Dixon started laughing a loud, boisterous laugh.

"Hell, ain't never had a woman speak to me like that before! You got a pair on you, don't ya?" He wiped a tear from his eye. "I like you girl," Merle pointed to Carol with his remaining hand. "You look after my baby brother and we're gonna get along just fine."

Daryl was in shock. He'd never seen Merle react like that to anyone before, least of all a woman. Maybe his brother had changed in Woodbury. Merle winked at his brother, waved his stump, and sunk back into the confines of his cell, seemingly to give his brother some privacy.

Carol turned away from Merle's cell. Daryl watched her from his still kneeling position on the perch as she walked back to him. Her brow was wrinkled with confusion from her encounter with his brother. He was just as confused with Merle's behaviour as she was.

Dropping down onto his bed to land in a sitting position with his back to his brother's cell, Daryl inspected the fresh damage he had done to his knee. The knee had already been ripped on this pair of pants, but now the tear was much larger. And blood soaked. Gently, Daryl pulled the fabric back further to get a clearer view. His knee was covered in blood and sported a criss-cross pattern that mirrored the mesh floor he had landed heavily on.

Too busy inspecting his knee, Daryl hadn't realised Carol was leaning over his shoulder, also inspecting the injury. Her breath on his neck alerted him to her presence. He flinched slightly as her hand rested on his shoulder, steadying herself. He turned to see her face. The look of confusion she wore from speaking with Merle was replaced with a frustrated expression as she examined Daryl's latest injury.

Sighing in resignation, Carol dropped her hand from his shoulder. She stepped around his body to sit in front of him, her hand quickly returning to his body to gently rest below his injured knee. Her fingers traced small circles against the fabric of his pants. She stared into his eyes. Neither spoke.

He was paralysed; her touch both froze and scorched his skin.

"Are you going to take your pants off or do I have to rip them off of you?"

Daryl's felt his mouth drop open with shock. She couldn't still be trying with the jokes and come-on's, could she? Not with his brother clearly hearing everything she said. The conservation with Merle must have _really_ messed with her.

"There's only one thing for us to do now Daryl…" Carol sighed again, pausing as she looked deeply into his eyes. "How attached are you these pants?" She tried again, attempting to get some response to her first question. Daryl was vaguely aware of Carol's tiny hand toying with the tattered material surrounding his knee.

He gulped, trying to find his voice. "Right now, very. You ain't getting 'em."

Carol huffed, clearly not getting the answer she was hoping for. "That's too bad. I guess we'll just have to do this with your pants still on."

Lunging forward suddenly, Carol grasped Daryl's injured knee with both her hands. He could feel the weight of her body shifting over his, invading his space. He couldn't be this close to Carol. It…just…he couldn't. He couldn't deal with anyone moving that quickly towards him. It brought back too many painful memories from his childhood.

A lifetime filled with abuse left scars both inside and out.

Daryl's reaction to the invasion of his space was instant. The moment Carol pushed forward, Daryl threw his body backwards, landing with a heavy 'thunk' on the thin mattress behind him and knocking the air from his lungs. His head cracked painfully against the too thin cushioning, making him see stars for a second. He ran his hand over his head, checking for injuries. No blood, that was good. He'd have one hell of a headache for the rest of the day, of that he was damn sure. The wound on his side was throbbing again though.

The sound of ripping fabric hit his ears, followed by the sensation of cool air hitting his burning leg.

He also had the sensation of still wearing pants. He could definitely feel that.

Propping himself up on his elbows, he could see Carol was kneeling next to him with a cotton ball and the bottle of antiseptic in her hands. His knee was free of his pants. Carol had almost ripped the leg clean off in her determination to treat the skinned knee.

"Don't worry, I can mend the pants. It would have been easier to clean your latest injury without them on, but you're too stubborn for your own good Daryl Dixon." Carol had misread the expression on Daryl's face, thinking he was angry with her for ripping his pant leg further. She didn't realise how much her action had startled him.

Exhaling, he rubbed his face as he tried to get his bearings. She was just trying to fix his knee. Damn woman had scared the shit outta him, and she was only trying to help. He couldn't believe he'd thought that Carol had tried to proposition him.

She was too good for a Dixon that was for damn sure. She had been out of his class even before the world went to shit and her options became limited.

**A/N: Thank you all for the lovely reviews. Just to let you all know, this scene continues in the upcoming Chapter 5. Chapter 4 was getting bigger than Ben Hur, so I decided to split it into two. The second half should be uploaded within the next few days. Hope you're all still enjoying the ride!**


	5. Chapter 5

The creak of the metal staircase alerted Daryl to yet another person joining them on his perch. Looking over Carol's shoulder, he could see a nervous Axel paused at the landing. Daryl's eyes narrowed in annoyance at the unwelcome visitor. Come to think of it, Daryl had been seeing a lot of Axel since he returned from Woodbury yesterday. Damn prick was even hovering in the background when Hershel removed the bullet now that he thought about it. Wherever Carol went, Axel seemed to be following in the shadows, watching. Always watching.

The inmate hadn't taken the final step to join them on the perch however. As soon as he saw Daryl's intimidating glare he stopped dead in his tracks. Damn fool looked like a scared dog cornered in an alley.

He didn't speak to either of them though. Axel just stared at Carol as she leant over Daryl's body; looked like the asshole was mesmerized by her or some shit. Axel couldn't look away from the kneeling woman sitting beside Daryl. Something about the way Axel's eyes stayed locked on Carol made Daryl angry. He saw the moron's eye's flicker over her body, lingering on areas they shouldn't be lingering. The corner of the inmate's mouth twitched up, smirking.

Daryl realised the bastard was staring at her ass! Damn bastard was practically leering at her. Looking at her like he was dying of thirst and she was the only glass of water in sight.

He didn't like Axel staring at her like that. Something wasn't right with that guy. Daryl had the sudden impulse to jump up and punch Axel in the nose, sending him flying down the staircase with the force.

Maybe he'd just pick the bastard up and throw him over the railing instead.

If he stretched just enough, Daryl could reach his crossbow. Maybe he'd shoot the creepy bastard in the face, right through his dumb-ass looking moustache. He was already in prison; it was the first time an innocent Dixon was in the big house. Might as well give himself a legitimate reason for staying there.

Carol was too good for the former inmate. He didn't even deserve to look at her. And Daryl was not about to let this two bit son-of-a-bitch felon think he could look at_ her_ like that. Daryl grunted, drawing Axel's attention away from Carol. Realizing he had been caught red-handed, the inmate dropped his gaze to the floor, bashfully looking everywhere but at the angry redneck before him.

"This ain't visiting hours at the hospital! What the hell you want?" barked Daryl. His voice was thick with hostility.

"No-nothin'. I was just comin' to see where Carol was at," the inmate directed his answer to the floor, still not able to meet Daryl's eyes.

Carol sighed. "I'm trying to change Daryl's dressings. He's just cut his knee open, and I haven't even got around to checking the stitches on his shot wound. This is going to take me awhile. Did Rick send you up here for something?" She didn't turn to speak to the inmate; instead she stayed kneeling next to Daryl, her attention squarely on the injured man before her.

"Can't I just wanna talk to you?" Axel sulked; clearly he wanted Carol's undivided attention.

Daryl watched Carol huff in frustration. She didn't deviate from her task at hand though, continuing to clean the wound on his knee. He hissed at the contact of too much antiseptic applied to the fresh wound.

"Sorry," she muttered quietly, still concentrating at the task before her.

Daryl grunted again. He was getting pissed off with the annoying inmate very quickly. "Well, she's busy talking to me now. _You_ got anything to say to _me_?"

Axel wouldn't look Daryl in the eye. The inmate's eyes darted right to left as he tried, without success, to avoid the redneck's unwavering stare. Holding up his hands, Axel offered them each a bowl. "I brought ya both some lunch. Maggie made rabbit stew." Axel made a move to take the last remaining step onto the perch, stupidly looking at Daryl as he started to walk. The ferocious expression on Daryl's face stopped him in his tracks though. The inmate settled for sliding the plates on the floor across to Carol and Daryl. "It's alright. Don't smell half as good as what you make Carol, but it's ok. That girl can't do half the things you can I expect. Experience comes with age," Axel paused, his confidence returning slightly as his eyes locked on Carol's ass again.

"I think women are like wine. Always getting better with age," the inmate drawled as he continued to speak to the woman trying to ignore him.

"Oh, for Christ's sake!" Carol swore softly under her breath. Daryl was surprised; he'd never heard her take the Lord's name in vain before. He couldn't stop the small chuckle from escaping his lips.

"You look like you'd only know your way 'round moonshine. Doubt you'd know shit 'bout wine." Daryl's tone was light; the look he gave Axel was anything but.

Undeterred, Axel continued speaking to Carol, ignoring Daryl's presence completely now. "Rick wanted me to let you know it's your shift for watch next Carol. I can come with you if you like…help you. Thought you might like the company," Axel paused, his eyes raking over Carol's back. "It gets awful lonely up in that watch tower all by yourself. You need something _interesting_ to do to pass the time."

The way in which Axel said interesting caught Daryl's attention. The felon dragged out the syllables as he spoke, rolling the word around in his mouth. Instantly Daryl knew exactly what the inmate was finding interesting about Carol. Or which parts of her he was suddenly interested in.

"Aren't you forgetting who you're taking to Axel?" Carol asked quietly, speaking over her shoulder to the inmate standing behind her.

Axel's demeanour changed at those words. He eyes went to Daryl again, as if finally realising the redneck was in fact still there. Axel's slight confidence was gone, replaced with sudden alarm. Looked like he was about to vomit too. The damn fool even started shaking. Daryl swore he saw the man's shoulders shrink in on themself, like he was covering his nuts or something.

The question confused Daryl. What the hell was that supposed to mean '_Aren't you forgetting who you're taking to?_' What the hell had Carol done to Axel while he was in Woodbury?

Damn bastard sure did seem scared all of a sudden.

"I'll be down for my watch just as soon as I'm finished here Axel. And I'll be taking that watch_ alone_. Please let Rick know I'll be there as soon as I can," her tone was dismissive. As far as she was concerned, the conversation was over.

Carol's expression softened as she addressed Daryl. "I need to check how your stiches are holding up, and I need to check your wound is still clean and free of infection."

He winced at her words, remembering the pain radiating through his side from straining to reach his crossbow, and then the accompanying pain of landing on his back moments ago. Daryl ran his hand down his injured side, stopping when he found the bandage covering his bullet wound. The bandage was still attached, but the area was tenderer than it had been 10 minutes ago. He brought his hand in front of his eyes, surprised to find them stained with his own blood.

"Not good. Think I've ripped somethin' out."

Carol sighed. She was clearly annoyed he had undone her hard work from the previous day. "Let me see."

The woman pushed her hand against his shoulder, meaning to remove Daryl's threadbare shirt. He knew she needed to see the wound underneath, but that didn't stop him from flinching away from her touch. She would see his scars if she took his shirt off. See him for the freak he really was. Carol paused, understanding flashed across her face as her hand dropped from his body.

"It's not like I haven't seen it before," she whispered, referring to his surgery yesterday.

They sat facing each other, Daryl chewing on the skin on his thumb as the considered his options. He wouldn't admit it if anyone asked, but he was afraid. Afraid of what Carol would think of him. He knew that she had seen his body yesterday when she watched Hershel remove the bullet, and then when she had stitched him up afterwards. There was no way she could have not seen the burn marks, the cuts, the scratches. Angry red welts, small circular white dots, slices of skin missing. She hadn't flinched away when she saw them. But he was still scared. If he had of had his way yesterday, Carol wouldn't have seen any of it.

He knew she'd been through hell with her asshole of a husband; he didn't want her to have to deal with his shit too.

Looking into her face, Daryl saw none of the judgement or pity he expected to see. She was simply smiling with reassurance. She wasn't afraid. Carol had already seen everything yesterday and she hadn't run away then. He knew then that he could trust her with this pain. With his past.

Giving a brief nod of approval, Daryl unbuttoned his shirt and shook his good shoulder free. Twisting his body gently to remove the other shoulder he watched as Carol's face froze before him with panic. Her eyes were locked on his injured side. Shit, he must have really messed up the stitches she gave him yesterday. Following her gaze down, Daryl found what had paralysed her; his bullet wound was situated right below another scar. It was probably the only scar not given to him by his father.

Being impaled by a bolt left a distinctive mark. It was his constant reminder that he hadn't been good enough to save Sophia. Carol reached out slowly, gently touching the red scar tissue. Her fingers were light as a feather, barely touching his skin. This was the only tangible reminder she had of her daughter. This was all she had left now. A sad smile played over her lips.

"Hey," Daryl started, not sure how to comfort her. "You alright?"

She nodded her head slowly. "I'm fine…just remembering," Carol's eyes were far away, focused on another time. A time before the world went to shit. A time when her daughter was still alive. "I was concentrating so hard on your surgery yesterday I didn't see..."

Dropping her fingers from the battle scar as if she'd been burnt, Carol leaned over to take a closer look at his bullet wound, focusing all her attention on that injury alone. Glancing over her shoulder, Daryl saw Axel was still standing on the stairs; the inmate hadn't moved an inch since Carol dismissed him. He thought the idiot would have gotten the hint by now. Daryl hadn't realised he was still there…listening to them, watching them together.

Axel was staring at Daryl…at his scars.

"What are you staring at? She said she's busy. This ain't a goddamn peep show!" Daryl's fingers curled around the closest thing he could find, his boot laying discarded on the mesh floor, and hurled it, full force, at Axel's head. The anger he felt at not finding Sophia was fresh in his mind. The inmate turned, ducking out of the way of the flying footwear and bolted down the stairs, taking them two at a time.

"Just so you know," Daryl hollered over the edge of the railing, "We ain't serving wine 'round here. Bar's closed jackass!"

Daryl watched the inmate as he scurried out of the cell block, his tail between he legs. Whatever Carol had said to Axel must have been pretty bad to get that reaction out of him; to scare him so much it left him shaking like a leaf. Daryl felt a strong sense of satisfaction knowing Carol was staying here with him for the moment. Choosing him instead of Axel. He looked at woman sitting across from him, her shoulders shaking with silent laughter as she tried, without success, to thread the needle needed for his fresh batch of stitches. He watched her as she tried, and failed, to do this simple task.

"I go away for a few days and you go and get yourself a boyfriend," he mumbled, instantly embarrassed by the hint of jealously he heard in his own voice. He was embarrassed with his outburst about the wine comment too, and his anger at not finding her little girl, but the jealously…that was something new to him. He had no idea where that came from.

She dropped the needle, flustered by his words. "Boyfriend?" she choked, turning away from Daryl as she plucked a sterile needle from the first aid kit. A humourless laugh escaped her lips. "More like a stalker."

Daryl sat up instantly, ignoring the searing pain that shot through his side at the sudden movement. His eye's narrowed at the woman sitting before him. Carol was looking intently through the first aid kit, steadily avoiding his gaze.

"What do you mean _stalker_?" His voice sounded gruff, even by his standards.

She sighed as she put down the bandages she had been folding and unfolding. He could see the tension in her shoulders as she turned her face to his. "It's nothing to worry about, really."

"Carol…"

"I guess he figured the threat wasn't that great," Carol murmured to herself. Daryl heard her though. Didn't mean he knew what the hell she was talking about.

"It's handled. Nothing to worry about," Carol smiled brightly, but he could see there was something she was hiding. He knew the woman well enough to know when she was lying.

There was definitely something he should be worrying about.

Daryl folded his arms across his chest; he wasn't going to let this go. The action pulled at this side; the bullet wound wouldn't let him forget it was there. Wincing against the pain, he narrowed his eyes at her, determined to get the truth no matter how long it took. Fixing her with a hard stare, he waited. He could wait all night if that's what it took.

"Goddamn it Carol, you gonna tell me what the hell's going on or do I have to beat the truth outta the dipshit who just high-tailed it outta here?"

That earned him a slight smile as she bowed her head. Something about the idea of him beating the shit out of Axel amused her. That was confusing. She hadn't liked it when he'd done that to Randall on the Greene farm when he'd had good reason to. That little punk could have been the end of the group then; if he'd gotten away he could of lead his 'friends' back to the farm…to the women. The only way to find out everything Randall had known was to knock him 'round some. Carol hadn't liked Daryl acting like that. With disappointment in her voice she had asked him if that was who he was now; someone who'd beat up a kid. He weren't a kid though. Little bastard was a danger to their safety. So why the hell did she look almost happy about the thought of Axel getting his ass handed to him now?

Looking up, Carol caught Daryl's eyes. He could see the conflict on her face. The nervous fidgeting of her hands as she picked absently at her fingernails. Whatever was going on, she wasn't thrilled to be talking about it to him.

"I got all day, I ain't going anywhere," Daryl spoke softly. Like tracking skittish game, his knew he'd spook her if he was too loud.

Sighing, Carol finally relented. "I'll tell you, but I've got to fix your stitches first. You stay still; I'll tell you the situation with Axel. But you move," she paused, pointing an accusing finger in his direction, "or go running off after anyone and I won't tell you a damn thing, you understand me?"

Daryl thought for a moment, nodding his head in agreement as he accepted her terms. He was getting anxious to hear whatever the hell had happened in his absence. Besides kicking Axel's ass, why would he run off while she was talking to him? None of this was making sense. Motioning for him to lay on his side, Carol removed the now red bandage and swabbed the angry looking wound with antiseptic. Taking a deep breath, the woman placed the first stitch.

"When you and Rick left to rescue Glenn and Maggie, I noticed Axel was…ah, developing an interest in Beth," Carol paused mid-stitch, her level eyes gauging his reaction. Her voice was disgusted as she continued, "…damn hippy's taken it upon himself to repopulate the Earth."

Whatever Daryl had been expecting, that wasn't it. A sense of fierce protectiveness swept over him as he processed what Carol just told him. What the hell was Axel looking at Beth for like that? When had this started? Had the dumbass started noticing her when all the strong fighters were gone…when there was no-one around to protect her? She was practically still a kid.

Daryl felt sick; it had nothing to do with the stitches Carol was still administering.

"I told him in no uncertain terms that _was not_ going to happen with Beth."

Daryl grunted his agreement. "Good. That asshole better stay away if he knows what's good for him. Beth don't need to be watching her ass all the time for him. Enough shit to worry about now. She's just a kid. Damn horny bastard needs to keep his eyes to himself."

She nodded her head, keeping her eyes fixed firmly on the stitches she was administering to his side. "I didn't trust Axel with Beth, and I can't be with her all the time, so I asked Carl to watch out for her until we could get the situation under control."

"S'good idea. Carl's not gonna let anything happen to his little girlfriend."

Chuckling at the thought, Carol finished the last stitch.

"The problem is, now Axel's attention has, ah…turned to _me_," Carol's hand paused as she applied a fresh dressing to Daryl's newly repatched wound. His entire body tensed beneath her hands. It had nothing to do with the pain from his injury.

"Remember what I said Daryl. You stay put and listen to what I have to say before you go off half-cocked!"

"Yes Ma'am," he grumbled. Daryl did not appreciate being told to sit still like a misbehaving child. "Can I at least sit up, or you gonna make me stay like this 'til story time's over?" He gestured to the half lying, half sitting position he was currently in on his side. Carol narrowed her eyes, finally snapping her chin up, indicating he could at least move. Daryl pulled himself into a sitting position facing her, wincing again at the burning injury in his torso.

"If only I'd let Axel believe I was a lesbian he wouldn't be following me around like a lost puppy!" Carol threw her hands up in frustration. The further into the story she got, the more annoyed she became.

"Lesbian! What the hell?" Daryl could barely get the word out. Carol…a lesbian? What the fuck had gone on when he and Rick left? How could everything go so wrong in such a short amount of time? If this crazy shit was any indication, there was no way in hell he'd be leaving the prison again. They'd all have to learn to live off bread crumbs and canned green beans. Seems he couldn't set foot out the door without the shit hitting the fan. Damn place went to hell in a hand basket after only a few days!

"Axel tried justifying his interest in Beth because she's the only available female around. At least Axel's got some standards. He won't touch Maggie because she's with Glenn, and he hadn't thought I was an option because he assumed I was gay. He caught me off-guard, and before I could help it I told him I wasn't…a lesbian I mean.

"Problem is, since I told him to stay away from Beth, he started following me around. I can't seem to shake him! He thinks he can charm his way into my pants with a few crappy compliments about my cooking or how pretty I look," Carol snorted a humourless laugh. "He thought that since I wasn't attached, I'd be interested in…spending time with him. I told him that wasn't going to happen either. I wish I'd never told him I was straight. Don't get me wrong, it's better that he bothers me rather than Beth, but I wish I'd let him think I was a lesbian instead. It would have made things so much easier for the past few days if he still thought I was gay."

Daryl had listened quietly to her speak. Outwardly he was calm, but inside he was seething. Now he wished he had thrown the inmate over the railing when he had the chance.

"Glenn tried his best to help keep Axel away from me. Once he worked out what was going on that is. He and Carl came up with a plan together to scare Axel away. They told Axel the most ridiculous lie. It even worked…for a day at least. Pity I didn't notice he wasn't following me around, I was too busy worrying about-" Carol abruptly stopped mid-sentence. Her eyes flicked to Daryl's face for a moment, then dropped to the folded hands in her lap. "But that apparently wore off, and he's back to shadowing me, trying to convince me I should have sex with him."

"What'd Glenn tell him?"

Carol looked down, suddenly very interested in the ground. Daryl couldn't help but notice the blush creeping onto her face. It looked good on her.

"Glenn told him I was already spoken for a few times over," Carol's voice was soft when she spoke, like she was embarrassed or something.

Daryl nodded his head in understanding. Glenn must have said Rick and Carol had something going. He felt his jaw clench at the thought. After the hug between them when he found Carol alive in the tombs, he could believe that there was something there. Rick had just lost his wife, but he was still a man…a man with eyes. Anyone could see Carol was a catch. Smart, funny, knew her way around a rifle. What more could you ask for?

Why the hell did the thought of Carol and Rick together bother him so much?

"How you taking this so far?" Carol's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"I'm processing it." Drawing a shaky breath, he continued. "I'm assuming Glenn said you were Rick's woman?"

"Rick! Really?" Carol's amused laughter echoed inside the prison walls. "What makes you say that?"

"There's not that many other options 'round here…unless you count Hershel. Old man's not really intimidating though. Can't exactly run Axel outta town with only one foot. Glenn's with Maggie like you said. Doesn't leave anyone else available."

Carol sat quietly, her eyes still focused on her hands in her lap.

Thinking about the situation, he started ticking the names of the surviving men of their group in his head. Daryl's eyes widened as the realisation hit him. There was one other man in their group he hadn't counted. That meant…

"Me? Glenn said it was you…with me?"

"Not just you."

Daryl was confused. If it wasn't just him, who else was left alive that could possibly be a threat to Axel?

Carol sighed, her eyes flickered over Daryl's shoulder towards Merle's cell. "Apparently I'm Merle's girlfriend too. Or ex-girlfriend. Not too sure the dynamics of the situation. But according to Glenn, I'm with the Dixon brothers and therefore completely untouchable to anyone. That boy told Axel that you'd feed him to a herd of walkers if you caught him hitting on me! Can you believe it? He made me sound like I'm Dixon property. Might as well get your name branded on my ass!" Carol was flustered as she looked away from him again, her face turning bright red with embarrassment at her latest rant.

Daryl also felt his face turning red with embarrassment. He was glad Carol wouldn't look at him, because there was no way he could look her in the eye after what she had just said him. The thought of her ass with his...no-not gonna happen.

What the hell had Glenn been thinking?

Clearing his throat, Daryl struggled to find his voice. "So why's Axel still hanging 'round you then if you're mine?" He hadn't meant to call Carol _his_. Goddamn it, Glenn was gonna pay for this. "I, uh…what I mean is, if he won't touch Maggie 'cause she's with Glenn, why the hell is he still hanging 'round you if you're with me _and_ Merle?"

Carol shrugged her shoulders, her expression as confused as his. "I have no idea. Maybe he didn't believe the lie after all. It sounds pretty farfetched, don't you think? I mean…you _and_ me _and_ Merle? It's a bit too cosy. Only Glenn would come up with something as ridiculous as that." Carol sat for a moment, reflecting. "At least it kept Axel away for a while though."

Daryl huffed. There was only one thing Daryl wanted to do now to keep Axel away. "Sounds like Axel needs a good ass kicking if you ask me. Probably the only thing that dumbass will understand. Think I'm gonna go help him with that," Daryl started to stand, much to Carol's dismay. "Glenn too, once I've stomped the stoner. Glenn's gonna get his." There was no way the younger man was getting out of this scot-free.

"Daryl Dixon, you'll do no such thing!" she pointed a finger at his chest to emphasize the point. Carol pushed against his shoulders, forcing him to sit back down on his bed. "You pull any more of those stitches and so help me God, I'll put a matching bullet in your other side! I don't want to see you move from this perch, understand?! You will stay right here and rest. That's an order!"

He knew she was heading straight to the watch tower to relieve Rick of his shift. He waited as she stalked back down the staircase, her body agitated as she moved. He watched her walk out the door leading away from Cell Block C.

"Whatcha gonna do baby brother? You gonna look after your woman?" Merle yelled out to his brother from the door of his cell. Apparently Merle hadn't given them as much privacy as Daryl originally thought.

Daryl sighed in annoyance. "She ain't my woman."

"That's right," Merle grinned, enjoying the memory. "Chinaman said she's_ our_ woman."

Daryl turned to face his brother. "Shut up Merle."

"You gotta protect what's yours baby brother. Us Dixon's take care of our own. You need to give him a warning. Nice Columbian necktie outta do the trick." Merle grinned wickedly at the idea. He obviously hadn't taken too kindly to Axel either.

Daryl stood up slowly and made his way over to his brother's cell. His knee was throbbing and his fresh stitches were itching, but he ignored the pain as he concentrated on Merle. Folding his arms across his chest in a defiant gesture, he squared his shoulders as he stared at his brother. "I ain't killing him in cold blood, even if he is a fuckin' asshole."

"Yeah well, that fuckin' asshole is making eyes at your woman."

Daryl shook his head. Merle wasn't listening to him. At least that was a side of his brother he recognised. "I told you brother, nothing's going on. Carol's not mine. Glenn just made up all that shit to keep Axel in line."

Merle thought for a moment, rubbing his chin with his remaining hand. "I like that Glenn. He's got style…_creativity_. That boy's got some wonton's on him, making up a story like that." That was a first. Merle had never liked anyone who wasn't white before. His eyes gleamed when he spoke again. "Carol's one hell of a pistol, ain't she? I like that sass she's got goin' on. Got fire too. I like 'em with fire. Think that woman could even knock me flat on my ass."

"I think she already did bro," Daryl chuckled at the memory of Carol staring down Merle earlier.

Merle continued as if he hadn't heard his brother. "She has those pretty blue eyes too. You know me brother; always had a thing for blue eyes."

"Shut up Merle!" Daryl felt his blood starting to boil. He didn't want to think about Merle with Carol.

"Well if you ain't gonna do something 'bout her, looks like Ol' Merle might have to step up. Ain't too many single ladies 'round no more. All the good ones will be taken 'fore too long."

"She already told you Merle, she ain't interested. Bad enough she's got Axel breathing down her neck, don't you go harassing her too." Daryl felt exhausted despite his anger. Maybe it was because of his anger his felt so exhausted. First he had to worry about Axel with Beth and Carol, and now he had to add his brother to that list of problems. He didn't want to get into a fight his brother over Carol. Didn't mean he wouldn't though.

"So you gonna just sit there and let that douche bag do that to your woman? Tail her like that? He ain't gonna stop. You don't want Merle to know what's going on between you and her, fine…that's your business." Merle held up his hand in front of his body in a show of surrender. "But I got eyes. I seen the way you look at her. It ain't _nothin'_ on your part. Don't act on it then; let some other man takes what's _yours_. Maybe Officer Friendly's got a thing for her too?"

A growl escaped Daryl's lips before he could control it.

Merle smirked at his brother, happy to have finally struck a chord. "That's what I thought." The smirk left his face as his voice grew serious. He took a step closer to the cell door, bringing his face directly in front of Daryl's, staring his brother straight in the eye. "But you mark my words boy, that convict's done more in his time than just drugs. I know the look. That bastard's gone after women before…girls too by the sounds of it. He ain't gonna stop 'cause he's heard some story. He won't stop 'cause she's not interested. You leave this as is, something's gonna happen to Carol. You gonna let him do that to her?"

Daryl stared at his brother, thinking about everything Merle had said. The decision took no time to come to.

"The hell I aint!"

**A/N: As promised, here is the second part of the previous chapter. It grew much bigger than I originally planned. A big thanks to all who have read and continue to read this story. I'm sorry if I haven't been able to respond to your review, but please know I appreciate each and every one of them. On a seperate note, I'm so excited for Tuesday night (that' when we get Ep 9 in the land of Oz!)**


	6. Chapter 6

The prison mess hall was filled with the sounds of cutlery clinking against plates as the majority of the group sat eating the rabbit stew Maggie had prepared for lunch. The chef was taking a well-deserved break from cooking. Instead of joining the others for their meal, she was training with Michonne in the courtyard.

Maggie had become fascinated with the katana that was the mysterious woman's signature weapon.

Glenn sat on top one of the tables, his feet resting comfortably on the metal seat before him as he balanced his bowl precariously on one knee. Sitting like this gave Glenn the perfect vantage point to view the entire room. In particular, Tyreese and his people who sat together at a table across from him. Glenn didn't trust the newest additions to their group yet and he wasn't about to make the mistake of letting his guard down around these strangers. Trust had to be earned.

He couldn't afford to let anything else happen to his family.

Hershel sat by Glenn's side, more conventionally seated at the table as was intended. Each man enjoyed the silent company offered by the other as they ate. Glenn always enjoyed the older man's company. Hershel had, for all intense purposes, become a like a father to Glenn. Considering Glenn and Maggie's relationship, it wasn't surprising that he would feel a natural kinship with the gentle older man. They had become tight family unit during the hard winter Atlanta offered them that year.

The sound of hurried footsteps broke the quiet as Carol stormed out of Cell Block C, her face a mask of frustration. Everyone in the room stopped eating to watch the normally calm woman pass through; anger seemed to radiate from her with each hurried step she took. Carol was mad. The woman looked like she could take on the entire town of Woodbury singlehandedly and live to tell the tale. Several heads that had turned in her direction upon hearing her loud entrance returned to their bowls on the tables in front of them.

No-one knew why Carol was in such a foul mood, but considering the direction she had just come from, it was a safe bet a Dixon was behind it.

The normally kind woman didn't say one word as she stalked past Glenn and Hershel. He was going to ask her what had happened, but one look at her angry face froze the question on Glenn's lips. Ignoring the questioning glances on more than a few faces, she walked with purpose towards the opposite doorway.

At that moment Rick walked into the room, his rifle held in front of his body. Without slowing, Carol stomped up to him, plucked the rifle from their leader's relaxed arms, shoved a first aid kit into his outstretched hands, and continued out the door. Rick's eyebrows shot up in question to Carol's actions, but he was smart enough to stay quiet. He had been married before. He knew the signs.

The woman was angry. Anyone could see that.

And now she was armed.

So many things had changed in this new world from the old, but one fact still held true: don't mess with a pissed off woman holding a gun…ever.

Apparently Carol was relieving Rick from guard duty. That or she was on a mission to kill someone. Glenn silently hoped it was the later. But since Axel was sitting at a table all alone across from himself and Hershel, and Merle was still locked upstairs in a cell under Daryl's watchful eye, shooting one of them apparently wasn't an option.

That was disappointing.

It wouldn't be a waste of a bullet if it went in either of those men's skulls, Glenn thought to himself. If there was a vote, he'd be all for Merle getting shot. Wouldn't have to kill the one-handed bastard either; he'd be happy for the racist redneck to just get winged. Maybe shoot off a finger from his remaining hand, was that too much to ask? As long as Merle was hurt Glenn would be happy. Bastard had done him enough damage in Woodbury, it felt like time to repay the favour. And Axel, well…that guy had been asking for it the way he'd been hanging around Carol lately. Glenn had hoped that the tale he and Carl had weaved would keep Axel at bay, but the inmate had only stayed away from Carol for 24 hours. Enough time for Axel to forget everything he'd been told.

The guy really was a moron.

Axel had walked into the mess hall earlier, with order's from Rick to locate Carol. For a moment, Glenn had been worried Axel was looking for Carol for another reason entirely. Hopefully, the inmate was still too scared of the terrifying Dixon brothers to try anything further with Carol than just looking. That hope had increased when Glenn had heard Daryl's bellowing voice yell not 10 minutes after Axel had entered the cell block, followed by the sound of a thrown shoe connecting with a wall. The inmate had come tearing out through the open doorway from the cell block into the mess hall like someone had lit a fire under his ass.

Apparently, the inmate was starting to grate on Daryl's nerves too.

Glenn really had hoped the story of Carol with the Dixon brothers would have caused Axel to keep his distance, but the moron just didn't learn. He had walked into the cell block, knowing full well she was in there with Daryl. But the inmate had insisted on taking Carol her lunch while he delivered Rick's message.

He hadn't bargained on delivering Daryl's food too.

The visit hadn't gone that well. Axel had run from of the cell room like a bat out of hell, his panic stricken eyes darting every which direction as he searched for a safe zone. The inmate retreated to a corner table, lunch in hand, and sat hunched over his bowl. He ate alone. No one wanted Axel's company. Without discussion, the rest of the group had finally come to the realisation that something wasn't quite right with the last remaining inmate.

Glenn couldn't help but chuckle as he watched the inmate's shoulders trembled while he ate. Daryl must have scared the shit out of the guy.

"It's gonna be a good day," Glenn said to himself with a self-satisfied nod of his head.

At least Beth wasn't there for Axel to try anything on. She and Carl were outside with Judith, giving the baby some much needed fresh air as they walked the perimeter. Lately, baby Judith was always with the younger Greene daughter. Since his talk with Carl, the young Grimes boy hadn't let Beth out of his sight. He was always with her, one step behind, with his gun in his hand, ready to defend. Glenn knew that was due in part to the request he made of Carl, part due to the young boy's fierce determination to protect what was left of his family.

A second set of heavy footsteps broke through the newly re-established silence. Daryl stormed into the room, stopping just inside the cell doorway. If Carol had been angry, Daryl was furious. He looked like he was going hunting; his crossbow was slung across his shoulder. Glenn silently watched the redneck's narrowed eyes scan the room, his hunter's instincts obviously searching for something or someone. Those eyes stopped when they landed on Axel's hunched back.

The rage coming from Daryl intensified when he spotted the inmate. It was then that Glenn understood why Carol had stalked out of the prison without a word to anyone. It also explained why Daryl looked set to kill someone.

Daryl _knew_.

Carol must have told Daryl about Axel hanging around her. Not getting the message that she wasn't interested. Glenn guessed she would have told him about Axel's new found interest in Beth too. As disturbing as Axel's interest was in Beth, Glenn knew that alone wouldn't get Daryl this angry. Daryl looked like he was out for blood.

But apparently he wasn't going to hunt outside the prison today.

"Holy shit, he's really gonna do it," Glenn said in awe as he watched Daryl pause on the opposite side of the room, the redneck's eyes locked on Axel's back.

"What's that son?" Hershel questioned as he chewed a piece of meat.

Glenn lifted his fork slightly to point discreetly towards the younger Dixon brother standing in the doorway. "This is gonna be worth watching Hershel. You might wanna get comfortable."

The older man turned in his seat, gracefully swinging his missing leg over the steel stool to watch the scene unfolding before him. Entertainment in this new world was hard to come by.

Daryl stomped into the room to stand behind Axel. Glenn noticed Daryl was walking with a slight limp. That was new. Daryl's leg had been fine when he returned from Woodbury yesterday.

The inmate was ignorant of the redneck radiating rage that stood behind him. Glenn watched silently as Daryl swiftly reach out and grabbed Axel by the collar of his prison jumpsuit, forcibly wrenching the felon out of his seat and throwing him hard against the nearest wall. Axel looked shocked with the sudden action; his eye's darting around the room in a panic stricken state. When he finally realised who was standing in front of him, blocking his only means of escape, Axel turned a visible shade of green. Glenn could see the inmate's lips moving quickly, his hands held up in front of him in surrender.

Daryl towered over the cowering Axel.

From where Glenn was sitting, he had an uninterrupted view of the pair. Daryl's mouth was moving, but Glenn couldn't hear what was being said. More likely threatened, knowing the redneck.

Tyreese stood; his body tense as he watched Axel and Daryl. Glenn realised the new man was ready to step in and break up the fight. He looked to Glenn for conformation of his next move. With a shake of his head, Glenn motioned for Tyreese to stand down. The readiness of the new man to step up was positive, but this was one situation that didn't need to be diffused. The foreboding man took the hint and motioned to the other three members of his group to follow him. They picked up what was left of their meals and quickly exited the room, heading towards Cell Block D. Whatever was happening, Tyreese had the good sense to stay clear of it.

"What's going on over there," Rick quietly asked as joined Glenn and Hershel. The leader of the group stood with a bowl in his hand as he nodded his head in the direction of Daryl and Axel.

Glenn chuckled, his elbows resting on his knees. "Daryl is just having a long overdue conversation with Axel," Glenn paused, straining his ears but it was no use; he still couldn't hear what was being said. "Man I wish I could hear what Daryl was saying."

Rick stared at the two arguing men before him thoughtfully as he chewed a piece of rabbit. "What exactly is Daryl talking about with Axel? Doesn't look like a friendly conversation."

Glenn shook his head, still chuckling quietly as he did. "I don't think you want to know what's going on between those two. It's better if we just let Daryl handle this himself."

"Is there something I should be concerned about?" Rick's free hand drifted to his side, hovering unconsciously over his side arm.

Glenn turned his face to the Sheriff standing next to him. "Do you trust Daryl?"

"With my life," Rick's swift answer was filled with conviction.

"Do you trust me?" Glenn's question was earnest.

"Of course. That goes without saying."

"Then believe me, don't try and get in the middle this. Daryl's got it covered." Glenn was confident the hunter would handle the situation without letting it get too out of control.

The three men returned their attention to the scene before them; transfixed as the redneck continued to speak to the inmate in what could only be described as a low, menacing tone. Glenn might not have been able to hear what Daryl was saying, but the actions of the angry man screamed across the room. Daryl had Axel pressed tightly against the wall, one hand fisted in the collar of the inmate's jumpsuit, trapping him. The other hand jabbed angrily at the inmate's chest. The redneck had fixed the inmate with an unwavering stare. Every twist of the inmate head trying to find escape was matched by Daryl's; the redneck would not release the inmate from his penetrating sight.

Axel stood, frozen to the spot. Escape was obviously out of the question. His body had started to tremble uncontrollably. His head was shaking side to side as he tried to dodge Daryl's narrowed stare. The inmate spoke quickly. Even though he couldn't hear what was being said, it looked like Axel was trying to talk himself out of trouble.

"I'd give anything to hear what Daryl is saying," Glenn's voice was wistful as he placed his empty bowl on the table.

"You know, I don't believe I've ever seen that boy speak so much in my life," Hershel nodded towards Daryl. "Normally, you strain to get more that two sentences out of him. Looks like you couldn't shut him up if you tried now." The former veterinarian's observation of Daryl was accurate as the elderly man watched with curious eyes as the two men argued.

The sound of Daryl's fist connecting with the wall next to Axel's head resonated through the mess hall. The inmate was staring to make sobbing noises.

'_Hulk smash_,' Glenn thought to himself with a smile as he recalled the story he and Carl told Axel.

Axel shrunk away from the fist still connected to the wall, but Daryl was undeterred. There wasn't anywhere for Axel to go. He was trapped and he knew it. Daryl held his fist in place, his other hand still balled in the inmate's collar as he pulled the other man's body away from the wall. Their noses were only inches apart as the increasingly angry Daryl continued to speak quietly to the blubbering Axel.

Silent, menacing Daryl was far more terrifying than loud, screaming Daryl.

Glenn could see the whites of the inmate's scared eyes as he seemed to plead frantically with the enraged man holding him captive.

"That's right; beg for the angry redneck not to feed you to the walkers," Glenn muttered quietly, supplying his own commentary with amusement. He couldn't believe how well this was turning out.

Hershel's attention, unwavering from the scuffle until that point, turned fully to Glenn. "What do you know about this?" he questioned the young Korean man, jerking his head in direction of the two men huddled against the wall. "Daryl was fine earlier when I checked on him. What's suddenly riled his feathers?"

Rick sighed, finishing the last bite of his meal. "Maybe it's about time I put a stop to this. Trust is one thing, but if this keeps up Daryl might actually kill him. I haven't had to deal with a berserk Daryl since the CDC. I don't particularly want to see _that_ man again. Whatever's going on there," Rick gestured towards Axel and Daryl, "I should know. We can't afford any surprises. We're got enough to worry about with the Governor turning up on our doorstep any day now looking for war."

Glenn considered Rick's words for a moment before finally addressing the man standing next to him. "Let's just say that Daryl doesn't appreciate Axel hanging around Carol."

Rick's eyebrows raised in disbelief as he stared at the two men against the wall with surprise. "You're telling me this is just_ jealousy_?"

"You know Daryl…you really want to call him jealous?" Glenn asked, sneaking a glance at Rick. "To his _face_?" The younger man couldn't stop the chuckle from escaping his mouth as he thought of the redneck being accused of jealousy.

The Sherriff's Deputy thought for a moment then nodded in agreement once. "Good point. We'll just let him work it out for himself."

Axel's body made a hollow, painful sound as it connected forcibly with the cinderblock wall behind him, a result of Daryl throwing him against it again. He temporarily released the inmate from his grasp. Axel sunk down the wall, hitting the floor with a thud. The redneck's much larger frame towered over the cowering inmate. Axel's body was shrinking in on itself.

Glenn laughed as he realized the man was balling up is if to protect his junk from Daryl.

The three men watched as the redneck got angrier, towering over the rapidly shrinking inmate. The redneck reached down and wretched Axel to a standing position once again, this time keeping both his fists balled in the inmate's jumpsuit collar. As angry as Daryl seemed to be though, he continued to speak quietly to the scared man he had trapped against the wall. The inmate's head shaped left to right in an attempt to escape Daryl's wrath.

The sound of Judith's gentle cooing interrupted Hershel, Rick and Glenn, drawing their attention away from the burgeoning fight opposite them and to the presence of Carl and Beth approaching. As always, Carl's eyes were cold and unforgiving as he looked at Axel. In his hand he tightly held his gun, ready to fire at a moment's notice. The young Greene girl held Judith affectionately in her arms. Surrogate motherhood agreed with her.

Carl looked from the scene before him, his gaze alternating between Axel and Daryl. Finally, his face turned to the still sitting Glenn. The smile that overtook Carl's face was directed at the young man sitting on the table.

"So Daryl's really gonna beat Axel up now?" Carl directed his question to Glenn. His voice was filled with excitement at the prospect.

Glenn looked at Carl, his large smile answering the young boy's question. Catching the questioning look Rick gave him, Glenn re-arranged his face in a more sombre expression, instantly dropping the smile.

Carl unfortunately hadn't seen the expression on his father's face. "Do you think Daryl knows about-" Carl's voice was anxious as he addressed the young man still sitting on top of the table.

Glenn glared at the young Grimes, silencing Carl mid-sentence. Rick really didn't need to know about what he and Carl had told the inmate. Glenn would be in enough trouble when Daryl found out the whole story, he didn't need Rick on his case as well.

"I don't like Axel, he gives me the creeps," Beth declared as she watched the two men fighting. "He's always looking and smilin' at me lately. It grosses me out," the young blonde turned her attention to the baby in her arms, speaking softly to Judith. "I hope Daryl scares him away."

Hershel's attention was instantly on his daughter. "Doodle Bug, when did this happen?" His face was filled with concern as he placed a gentle hand on his daughter's shoulder.

"AS FAR AS YOU'RE CONCERNED SHE'S STILL A LESBIAN!" Daryl's booming voice carried through the entire room. Five faces painted with identical expressions of shock turned open mouthed to the fighting men.

Dropping his fists from Axel's jumpsuit, Daryl tossed the man roughly to the ground, the inmate landing on the ground with a thud. The sound of his skull cracking against the hard floor filled the stunned silence of the room. With one fluid movement Daryl reached over his head and grabbed his crossbow, aiming the deadly weapon squarely at the cowering man's petrified face. The look of pain on the redneck's face didn't escape Glenn when he reached for the crossbow. The strap had been sitting right across the Daryl's bullet wound.

_'He's one tough son-of-a-bitch,' _Glenn thought to himself.

Axel scrambled for footing, desperate to get away from the crazed redneck threatening him. Finding some purchase, the man fled the mess hall containing the enraged Dixon brother without a backwards glance.

The guy was generally stupid, but he was smart enough to be quick on his feet at that moment.

The redneck lowered his crossbow; his entire body quivered with disappointment. Daryl's narrowed eyes flickered over the audience he had unwittingly gathered. "What the hell ya'll lookin' at? Go back to your lunch, damn show's over! Bunch of nosey ass mother fu-"

"Watch your mouth son!" Hershel cut the menacing redneck off before her could insult the group further.

Daryl stood staring at the assembled group, his fists bunched tight at his sides, nostrils flaring with suppressed anger. His angry eyes settled on Glenn's face. "You and me are gonna talk about things later." The threat in Daryl's voice was clear. He took one last look at the small group watching his every move then stalked out of the room, still limping, back towards his perch.

Hershel watched the redneck retreat though disapproving eyes. "Damn hot-headed fool acts like he was raised by a pack of wolves."

"You've met Merle. A pack of wolves probably would have been a step up from the Dixon clan," chuckled Rick.

The older man turned his attention back to his youngest daughter. "Now Bethie, what were you sayin' about Axel? What has that man been doing?"

"Don't worry Daddy," said Beth as she looked at her father, her eyes wide and sincere. "Carl's been keeping Axel away from me. That creep hasn't been following me since Carl's been spending every day with me. He's been doing a great job of keeping Axel away."

"You knew about that?" Carl gulped as he turned a bright shade of red. He obviously thought he had been more covert in protecting Beth.

Beth grinned at the younger boy as she bounced his baby sister in her arms. "Of course I did. You don't usually follow me around with your gun drawn."

Spluttering sounds came from Hershel's mouth. The older man was having trouble forming complete words. "You mean to tell me that…man has been following you around and you didn't think to tell me about it? To tell anyone what was happening? What if he had caught you...alone?"

Beth's wide blue eyes turned back towards her father. "The only time I'm alone is when I'm in the shower room. It's ok Daddy, Carl has been watching me when I shower."

Glenn's fear of Daryl's wrath was forgotten as his bit his lip, trying to keep his sudden laughter from escaping. He turned his head to glance at Rick. It looked like their leader couldn't decide whether he was angry or amused.

Hershel glared at the rapidly blushing Carl standing before him. "You mean to tell me that you have seen my daughter when she was indecent!" The older man could barely contain his growing anger.

Beth's shocked expression overtook her face as her words sunk in. "NO! Oh, Daddy no! It's wasn't like that-"

Carl was rapidly shrinking against the attention as all three men turned their attention squarely on him. "I stood outside the door! I never looked, honest. There's only one door in or out, and I guarded it while Beth was in there. You only have one foot, you can't…" Carl stopped suddenly as he saw Glenn making cutting motions against his neck with his hand, trying desperately to silence the boy. The hole Glenn had dug himself the previous day with Carol looked like it had a new worker, burrowing even deeper.

Hershel's face was growing a deeper shade of red as he bellowed at the young Grimes boy. "I may only have one foot but I can still kick your behind into next week!"

"Daddy it's ok, when Carl gets a bit older I'm sure that we'll…you know," started Beth, trying to sooth her father.

"YOU KNOW WHAT?"

"It's ok Daddy," Beth repeated. "Carl's the only boy 'round my age. Makes sense for us to be together. He's only four years younger than me. Who else will I be with? It's not exactly like I can meet someone in church anymore."

Glenn started chuckling. "Dude, you got yourself a girlfriend. Way to go!" He raised his hand to give Carl a high five, but froze as he caught Hershel's furious gaze.

"Glenn and Maggie only do watch duty together so they can have sex in the guard tower!" Carl's frantic voice cried out, cutting through the tension filled room. It appeared the young Grimes was willing to do whatever it took escape from Hershel's furious stare.

Hershel's livid gaze turned to Glenn's shocked face. Glenn couldn't believe Carl knew about him and Maggie in the guard tower. Did everyone know about them there? He'd underestimated Carl. The kid was ruthless. Sneaky little bastard was throwing Glenn under the bus to save himself from Hershel!

If it was anyone else, Glenn would have laughed. But the look Hershel was levelling in the young Korean man's direction was terrifying. Hershel's right hand wrapped around the blade he kept at his side. His left hand wrapped around the top of one of his crutches. The older man started to swing the crutch in Glenn's direction like it was a baseball bat. There was a menacing look in the old man's eyes that Glenn had never seen there before.

Before he knew what was happening, Hershel swung his arm, smacking Glenn roughly in the back of the head with the rubber stopper on the foot of the crutch. It didn't really hurt, but the intention was clear.

If Glenn thought Daryl was terrifying he was wrong. Hershel Greene looked like Freddy Kruger compared to the younger Dixon brother now.

Apparently Glenn had underestimated Hershel too.

"I, um, I'm sorry Hershel," Glenn paused as he saw the furious expression on the older man's face. "Doctor Greene." Glenn instantly corrected, hoping the respectful gesture would pacify the enraged man. Hershel's unwavering glare was making Glenn extremely uncomfortable. Sliding from the table top, he started to move away slowly from the father of the woman he was sleeping with. "I, ah, have to go…over there," Glenn pointed to the doorway leading outside, quickly exiting the room. Maybe he would go and see how Maggie's training session was going. A training session that was a safe distance from Hershel.

"Daddy, I was only kidding. I didn't mean anything by it." Beth was still trying to calm her father. The older man didn't see the conspiratorial wink she sent Carl though.

Rick started at the young blonde girl holding his child. "Beth, I think you should give your Dad a few minutes to compose himself. Not more jokes for a while, ok?" The leader of the group gave Beth a gentle smile. "Maybe you should put Judith down for a nap."

The youngest Greene daughter gave Rick a remorseful nod as she quietly slipped through the doorway leading to the cells.

"Not only do I have to worry about that one fornicating with my oldest," Hershel motioned to Glenn's retreating figure, "but now I also have to contend with the issue of my youngest daughter planning on marrying a 12 year old boy!"

"I'm 13 now!" Carl's voice was filled with indignation at someone getting his age wrong.

Hershel' scathing gaze turned to view the young boy still standing there.

"Sorry." Carl dropped his eyes to the floor sheepishly.

Rick sighed, not entirely sure how to best diffuse the situation with Hershel. "Son, why don't you go keep an eye on Beth."

Hershel started making spluttering sounds again upon hearing this. If he wasn't careful the old man might have a heart attack today.

"Not too close," Rick corrected himself as he lowered his voice so it only reached Carl's ears. "Just make sure Axel stays away from her and your sister." Rick watched his son follow the path lead by Beth only a moment ago. "It could be worse Hershel," Rick chuckled at the fury still radiating from the older man.

The vet turned to the Sherriff's Deputy standing at his side. "Can you please explain to me how this situation could possibly be any worse?"

"At least she's not interested in Merle. Who would you prefer as an in-law, me or him?"

**A/N: Thank you again for the fantastic reviews. I hope you enjoy the latest offering :)**

**Can you say Redneck radiating rage three times fast?**


	7. Chapter 7

"For the last time, I am not letting you out of that cage." Rick paced back and forth on the landing in front of Merle's cell, glaring at the man stuck behind bars.

Merle stood facing Rick, his remaining hand wrapped around the cool metal bars of the cell door. The two men had been going at it for a while now. He'd been locked up, like a goddam stray dog waiting to be put down, since he and Daryl had returned from Woodbury. He had been stuck in that tiny cramped cell for days now. He'd had enough of this shit.

Merle Dixon wanted out.

He didn't expect a full pardon, not after what he'd done to that Glenn kid, but hell, he'd served his time in isolation. He'd been a good boy; hadn't tried sweet talkin' the women, in fact he'd kept his mouth shut 'round everyone except his brother. He hadn't even laid a hand on anyone since his arrival.

What more did they want?

He was not a man used to pleading his case to get what he wanted. Well, not unless you count putting on some puppy dog remorse-filled eyes when he'd feed a judge some line about how he'd learnt his lesson and he'd never do nothing wrong ever again. God, those times had been a complete crock of shit. He thought with the world going to shit his days of pleading for his freedom from a concrete cell were long behind him.

The gun toting good sheriff had other ideas though. He had been pacing back and forth in front of Merle's cell for the last half hour arguing the many reasons why the man would never see the light of day again.

Merle wanted out of this cage. He longed for the good old days when the Dixon brothers would get into a bar fight in some shithole in the middle of nowhere. Merle would have been high as a kite and three sheets to the wind, but those were good times. Listening to his brother strutting and stomping about the prison for the last few days had given Merle cabin fever. He was imprisoned while his brother was free to do whatever he goddamn liked. If only the other members of his precious new family knew Daryl used to be a two-bit crook, just like they all thought Merle was, they wouldn't be so eager to let his baby brother walk freely amongst them.

Merle was just itchin' to get out there and stomp around with his brother. He'd been locked up too long; he needed to do something, anything, to stop him from going stir crazy. To get rid of the tension he felt weighing down his shoulders. He needed a good fight; a way to release that tension. Exchanging words with the man pacing before him wasn't cutting it. He needed to _do_ something.

He hadn't killed a walker in days.

Merle missed the rush he got from slamming his steel stump into some geeks decaying face. He missed fights alongside his brother too. Nearly been a year since they raised hell together. No one had his back like his brother.

He wished he'd seen his brother in action with that douche bag Axel. Sounded like Daryl had torn that dick a new one for messin' with his woman. Not that Daryl would admit to his brother that anything was actually goin' on with that woman. Merle had seen the looks his baby brother gave that Carol when she wasn't looking. He'd seen the way his brother watched her when she came to check his stitches. Damn fool couldn't take his eyes off her.

He'd been disappointed he hadn't got to watch Daryl beat the shit outta that boy Axel. He'd heard something about Daryl punching a wall out while dealing with the asshole. From the whispers and strains of gossip he'd heard it was a damn shame he missed the show. Merle didn't want to miss the next show. And there would be one, mark his words. That Axel prick would try something again; he looked too stupid to stay away from Carol. Merle would gladly help his brother beat the ever loving shit out of that prick. He could see Carol had been good for his brother. The woman had looked after his baby brother when Merle wasn't there to do it.

Merle had seen the way his baby brother had reacted when that Axel had come sniffin' 'round Carol. Damn near had to put a muzzle on his brother to stop him ripping that hippy-looking son-of-a-bitch in two for trying to talk to that woman.

Initially, Merle couldn't see the attraction, but in the last few days he'd come to appreciate the woman's kind smile and pretty eyes. Didn't hurt she had a great ass too.

His little brother had finally gotten a woman…about damn time too. Only took the end of the world to make it happen. Problem was, the damn fool didn't even know he had a woman. And Merle was sure as shit his brother wouldn't know what to do with her when he worked he _actually_ had her.

All the things Merle had taught his baby brother to make him into a man…apparently he'd missed the lesson about wooing women. Truth be told, if she wasn't his brother's woman, Merle would have tried his own brand of Dixon charm on her. She had spirit. A woman who'd put up with a Dixon was hard to find even before the dead started rising from the grave to make a meal of the living. A good woman like that was even harder to find nowadays.

Merle put on his most endearing smile for the agitated cop pacing before him. "Come on Officer Friendly. Have a heart. Better yet, give a brother a hand," Merle's smile instantly changed to a snarl. "Oops…forgot. I already gave you one of those." He tapped against the cell door with his metal stump, the sound echoing loudly though the empty cell block. "You already took my hand, don't take my freedom now. That's goddamn un-American of ya if you do that."

Rick stopped pacing, fixing his anger filled stare on the older Dixon brother. "Understand this Merle, you are not welcome here," Rick stepped closer to the cell bars, eliminating the distance between himself and the imprisoned man. "No-one wants you here. You nearly killed one of my men. Maggie wants to put a bullet in your brain. That girl don't even need a gun at this point; she'd be happy to insert the bullet manually. Glenn has every right to beat the shit outta you; repay you for what you did to him in Woodbury. And Hershel, well…you tried to kill the man he's come to think of as a son," the sheriff paused, his eyes never leaving Merle's. "By your own admission, you shot Michonne. She wants to cut you up, piece by dumbass piece. Now you tell me, why should I let you out of this cell? Seems to me that as soon as I let you out there'll be a queue of people linin' up to kill you. I'd have to issue numbers to make sure no one cuts in line."

Merle stared at the angry man before him. When the imprisoned man spoke, his voice was thick with determination. "You let me out, I'll stay clear of everyone, 'cept my brother that is. I ain't going anywhere without Daryl. I won't go causin' no problems. I ain't lookin' for revenge; you got my word on that. I'll be a good boy and play nice with your people. Scout's honour." Merle held his stump in front of his body to swear. He'd performed the gesture enough times in court, he knew the drill. Swinging his head, Merle tried to look past the imposing man blocking the doorway. "You got a bible 'round here Friendly? If I'm gonna swear I wanna do it right."

Rick snorted in disbelief. "You gonna avoid every last person in this prison? 'Cause that's the only way I see you stayin' clear of everyone who wants you dead." Rick leaned closer to the cell door, his voice dipping lower as he spoke. "You in a cell is not for our protection; it's for your own. So don't you start thinking anyone here is scared of _you_. The only reason you're still alive is because you're Daryl's brother. Make no mistake; if you weren't his blood, I would have shot you myself before we even left that town."

Merle eyed the sheriff's deputy before him carefully as he dropped his stump back to his side. He hadn't expected the cop to be so frank. He knew the man couldn't stand him, but to admit he wanted Merle dead just as much as the rest of those idiots here surprised him. Officer Friendly had a knack for surprising him. Had done since the bastard cuffed him to that rooftop.

Merle Dixon didn't like surprises.

"I don't know where your allegiances lay Merle. I let you out, what's to stop you running straight back to Woodbury and the Governor?"

Merle's voice was low as he answered. "My allegiance is with Daryl. After what the Governor did to us," he shuddered involuntarily at the memory, "I got no loyalty to that psychotic asshole. I ain't going back there. Where Daryl goes, I go. You make no mistake about that. I'll do whatever I need to do to protect my brother. If that includes putting a bullet though the Governor's head sometime in the future, let's just say I wouldn't be overly opposed to the idea." The thought of killing the Governor, the man who had betrayed him and tried to kill his brother, left Merle with an evil smirk on his face and a menacing glint in his eyes.

The man behind bars shook his head, clearing the thoughts of revenge as he did so. "Daryl's hell bent on stayin' here with you folks, so I ain't goin' nowhere." Merle stepped back from the cell door, eyeing Rick thoughtfully. Maybe the good sheriff didn't fully understand Daryl's motives for returning to the prison instead of taking off with his brother like he should have. "He's got a good woman here…even if's he's too much of a dumbass to see it. He'll be following her wherever she goes, so I guess for the moment it's the two of them I'll be protecting. The rest of you can all go fuck yourselves, but I'm looking out for my kin first and foremost. Daryl ain't leavin' her, and I ain't leavin' him. Simple as that."

Rick stared at Merle with disbelief. "What woman?" The former sheriff's deputy thought for a moment. "You mean Carol?" The man didn't try and hide the surprise from his voice.

"Yeah, Carol. Little brother's got it bad for that woman. She's the reason we came back with you. It'd been up to me, the Dixon brother's would have been out, just the two of us. But my soft hearted little brother hadda come back here. For _her_."

The sheriff held up his hands in protest. "They ain't like that Merle. Yes, there's a friendship there," he paused, considering his words, "I'll admit it's a close friendship, but it ain't like that. Carol is a good woman, but her and Daryl…together?" Rick took a step backwards, giving some space between himself and the imprisoned man. He folded his arms against his chest as he leaned back against the railing. "I knew you were a stupid bastard; didn't know you saw things that weren't there too."

"You _jealous _or somethin'?" Merle snorted a laugh. "Y'all may have chained me away up here away from the general population, but I still go ears. I hear things. Like a certain inmate who ain't too shy 'bout spending some _quality _time with my brother's woman," Merle looked at Rick with fierce determination. "You best be doing somethin' to protect the women from that punk. I've known guys like him. He ain't foolin'; He want's Carol he ain't gonna stop 'til he gets her.

"I heard the story goin' round 'bout the Dixon Brothers and their woman too," Merle chuckled at the thought. "Funny shit, the idea of me and Daryl sharing a woman. I never shared a woman in my life, and I ain't about to start now," He shook his head at Rick, focusing on him intently. "I got eyes too. I see the way those two look at each other. Like two teenagers wantin' to jump each other's bones. You sure musta been a shit cop if you can't see what's happenin' right there under ya nose."

The man leaning against the railing continued to shake his head in disagreement. "You're wrong Merle. It ain't like that."

"You're the one that's wrong Rick. I know my brother, better than any of you assholes think you do. Fact is, I ain't ever seen him so stuck on a woman like he is with her. I love my brother. Just want what's best for the little bastard. Being here, with_ her_, is what he wants. Seems like the only one seein' what's going on 'round here is the Chinaman."

"Glenn," Rick correctly absently.

Ignoring him, Merle continued. "When we first rolled up at the prison, I watched my brother with that woman. The way he only spoke to her and didn't give two shits 'bout anyone else, I knew there was something going on. But when ya'll brought me inside, and I saw her pick up that baby and bring it to Daryl, well, I thought…" Merle trailed off, reliving the memory as he sunk down on the cell bed.

"You thought what Merle?" asked Rick, exhaustion heavy in his voice.

The one-handed man met Rick's gaze again. There was a dejected expression on Merle's face. "I thought Daryl had gotten himself a new family, whelp and all. Saw the way that woman carried the young'un 'round, like only a mother does. I guessed the only reason Daryl would wanna come back here is if it was for a new family." Merle knew now that the baby wasn't his brothers, but that moment when he had first been lead into the prison, and he laid eyes on the scene before him, Merle had been convinced Daryl had gotten himself a new family. That he didn't need just Merle anymore.

He'd watched as that Carol woman had picked up a baby outta a crate with 'Lil' Asskicker' written on the side, turning with a huge grin on her face towards his brother. Merle had been too shocked to speak as he watched Daryl tickle the baby's stomach affectionately, smilin' all the while. His brother smilin' like that? Merle had never seen such a sight before in his life.

"I mean, the kid was sleepin' in a box with 'Lil' Asskicker' written on the side! I thought to myself, weren't no way that kid didn't belong to Daryl. Who the hell else but a redneck would call their kid that, 'sides my dummy of a brother?" He threw up his arms in frustration. "I always knew that boy was stupid, but callin' a kid that? Damn fool's lost what little sense he had in the first place."

"You though Judith was his?" The surprised look on Rick's face spoke volumes.

Merle nodded his head in affirmation.

Rick shook his head in opposition. "She ain't Daryl's; she's mine."

The older Dixon brother had worked out that fact pretty quickly. Right about the time he'd seen Daryl jump away from the woman when she asked for his pants the other day. From the way Daryl was acting 'round that woman, there was no way he'd hit that before. He'd be surprised if his brother had ever hooked up with a woman. Plus, he'd watched Rick pluck the baby from Carol's arms after he'd strolled into the cell block with that brat son of his. He saw the look that man gave the baby. It was a look only a father gives his child. Merle knew the score.

Wasn't gonna stop him messin' with the good sheriff's mind for a spell though. He knew the cop wasn't gonna let him outta this cage. Merle had nothing left to loose. Might as well have some fun at this asshole's expense.

"You and her?" Merle shook his head with mock disgust. "That's cruel, knockin' up a woman who belongs to another man. Even I ain't enough of a heartless bastard to do that. Thought you and my brother were tight? Maybe it should be you and Daryl sharin' that woman in the chink's story," Merle rubbed his chin with his remaining hand, sneaking a glance at Rick as he spoke. "Explains why he's so pissed off at the thought of you and her together though."

Rick signed, staring at the floor intently. "Carol's not her mother."

Merle smirked. He could tell he was getting to Rick. He knew damn well Carol wasn't that kid's mother. Wasn't gonna stop him from still messing with the man though. He planned on pushing the sheriff's buttons some. "You mean you and that lil' blonde angel I seen carrying that kid 'round? Officer Friendly, I thought you was a man of the _law_. Didn't think you were into _little _girls. She looks barely old enough to be liftin' that child, let alone birthin' it. I may be the one in a cell, for no good reason I might add…but hell, I wouldn't even go there. I got the good sense to know that girl's jailbait."

The look of disgust that instantly appeared on Rick's face almost caused Merle to crack a smile. Almost.

"Beth's not her mother," the look of pain that washed over the broken man's face was devastating. "My wife…Judith's mother was my wife."

All his life Merle had been accused of being stupid. He'd been called inbred hillbilly white trash amongst other things. But he was far from stupid. Merle was a man who paid attention. And right then, he heard one word from the sheriff; _was_. _Judith's mother was my wife_. So his woman was dead. Merle almost felt sorry for the guy then. The sheriff had known pain. Recent pain too. Damn kid was so tiny. Can't have been out of its mama long. Few weeks at best, not that Merle was too familiar with babies to judge.

But sorry don't grow you a new hand.

He wanted to make the cop uncomfortable. And damn near if this wasn't a perfect way to do just that.

"Three women?" Merle's voice tipped between awe and envy. He entertained the fantasy for a moment and then shook his head ferociously against the idea. No way in hell would you catch him being that stupid; one bitch was crazy enough. "You got three women? You got a goddam harem following you. You takin' all the women here? Don't exactly believe in sharing the wealth, do ya?"

Two sets of heavy footsteps on the metal staircase interrupted the men. Merle lifted his gaze to find Daryl and the Chinaman standing at the top of the landing. Glenn was eyeing Merle with unconcealed hatred. Daryl on the other hand… he looked pissed.

'_Little brother's been eavesdropping,_' Merle thought to himself.

"This a private party or anyone invited?" Daryl's voice was guarded as he address the two men; one his brother in blood and the other his brother in arms.

"Daryl, Glenn," Rick inclined his head in greeting.

"Hey little brother!" Merle stood from the bed, returning to the cell door. He casually leaned against it, resting his metal stump against the bars. "Officer Grimes and I were just having a friendly conversation; nothing to worry your pretty little head about. Speaking of pretty heads…where's Carol?" Merle smirked as his brother shot him an irritated look through narrowed eyes. "I ain't seen her all day. Startin' to miss that smile of hers."

Daryl grunted in annoyance, folding his arms tightly across his chest. "She ain't smiling for you Merle. She's too busy laughin' at your ugly-ass face is all."

Merle's eyes flicked down to his brother's fists balled under his armpits. If he knew his brother, Darlena's fists would be white from clenching them tightly. Tryin' to control his rage. The boy did that when he was pissed. Couldn't hide his tells from Ol' Merle.

"Aw, now come on brother, that ain't true and you know it. Before the world ended, the ladies were linin' up for me," he sighed at the happy memory. Merle had had _alot_ of women. "Been said Ol' Merle could charm a nun from Christ."

Glenn snorted. "You look like you'd take whatever was left at the bar come closing time."

Merle growled at the younger man. Damn little shit was just askin' for an asskickin'. "Watch your manners chow mein. I was an artist. Weren't just the skanky bitches neither; I had me some high-class tail."

"Pretty sure the only way you'd get high class tail Merle is if the dive of a strip club you went to was called 'High Class Tail'." Glenn made air quoted with his fingers as he named the imaginary strip club.

Daryl barked out a laugh, but the sound dried on his lips as he caught the venomous look Merle instantly shot him.

Merle eyed Glenn; the skinny kid was leaning against the railing. "Well, we all can't be as lucky as you with humanity going to hell in a hand basket, can we? Seems to me like the end of the world has certain perks for some." Little fucker had a smart mouth, and he radiated anger whenever he looked in Merle's direction, but Merle was finding he was actually starting to like the kid. He liked someone who had the balls to stand up to him.

Glenn's anger gave way to confusion. "Perks? What the hell are you talking about Merle?"

The older Dixon brother smiled knowingly at the Korean man. Just 'cause he was starting to like the kid don't mean Merle was gonna take it easy on him. That wasn't his style. "I mean perks like your girl. You can't tell me that before all this happened short round you'd have had a shot with that sweet little southern belle?" Merle watched the doubt flickered over the kid's face. "A girl who looked like that wouldn't look twice at your Chinese takeout ass before the world went to shit and she ran outta options. The pickings are pretty slim now; not much fresh meat round 'ere," he looked around his cell, holding his arms wide as he did so. "Guess she got a cravin' for fried rice instead."

Daryl smirked at his brother's joke; clearly he'd had the same thought before. "He's right. Maggie wouldn't of looked at your scrawny ass twice before all this shit."

"Like you with Carol," Glenn casually added, leaning back against the railing as he did so.

"WHAT?!" The one word yelled by Daryl echoes amongst the prison walls. Somewhere outside the compound, the wailing of baby Judith could be faintly heard.

Both Rick and Merle's heads snapped up in unison to watch the furious redneck standing on the landing. He had dropped his arms from across his chest and had started moving towards Glenn. Merle noted that his brother's fists where still clenched and bone white. Chinaman was in for one hell of a beat down.

Glenn's eyes grew wide as he started backing further down the walkway, away from the enraged redneck. "Daryl…buddy. What I meant to say is, uh…a woman like Carol wouldn't of looked twice at a guy like you before this. You know, 'cause you're a hillbilly redneck and she's, argh, more white collar that blue collar. Shit…that still didn't' come out right. I, um…I didn't mean it like that…" The cowering young man was now pressed up against the railing with no escape in sight.

Merle chuckled loudly. "Sure you meant it boy. You meant it just as sure as my brother's gonna try and deny it. Mark my words, that woman's lookin' alright."

"She ain't lookin' at no one! Best get that through your thick heads," Daryl huffed.

Rick moved forward, placing himself between Glenn and the menacing redneck. "Glenn didn't mean anything by it. What he said just came out wrong, ain't that right Glenn?" The man turned from Daryl to Glenn as he spoke.

"Tha-that's right," stammered Glenn as he hurriedly nodded his head in agreement. "Sorry man."

"Person you should be sayin' sorry to is Carol. You're too damn caught up in that dumbass story you've been spreading 'round to know what's what," Daryl glared at the trapped Glenn through narrowed eyes. "I still ain't forgotten we need to have a discussion about that."

The sound of Glenn loudly gulping bounced off the grey prison walls. Merle could of sworn be saw the panicked kid mouth "_Oh shit_."

Rick turned his attention squarely on Glenn, still leaving his arm up to hold Daryl at bay. "This story you've circulated Glenn, I need to know what you told Axel. Why did you and my son think it was a good idea to start spreading rumours? About Carol of all people?" Rick shook his head in frustration. "What the hell were you thinking?"

The young Korean man shifted his weight on his feet, trying to avoid the three sets of eyes watching him "I had a really good reason, just remember that ok. It wasn't just something I did for fun," Glenn smirked slightly. "Well…maybe it was a little fun."

A fierce growl escaped Daryl's lips.

"Ok, ok. The thing was, I, ah…noticed Axel hitting on Carol. Like _really_ hitting on her. Worse that what lefty over there," he pointed towards Merle's cell, "probably did with his 'high class' tail."

The older Dixon brother flipped Glenn off with his remaining hand, a scowl etched on his face.

Glenn continued, ignoring Merle. "I watched her turn him down flat, but the moron wasn't getting the message. Maybe he just didn't want to get the message. You and Daryl were still in Woodbury," Glenn gestured towards Rick, "and I was injured, so I made up this story that Carol belonged to the Dixon brothers. I figured the threat of you two would keep Axel away from Carol 'til we could come up with a more permanent solution."

"Why'd you add me to the story," Merle questioned as he dropped his hand back against the cell door bars. That was one thing he hadn't been able figure out since he'd heard that woman tell his brother what was going on. "I ain't ever touched her."

"You ain't never gonna touch her, best remember that," Daryl barked as he stared at his brother.

Glenn chuckled nervously. "I figured it'd be funnier with the two of you?" The chuckling instantly stopped as Daryl took another menacing step towards the younger man. Rick was still situated between the two men, separating them, but he was having trouble containing the pissed off redneck. Glenn's hands flew up in front of his body in surrender as Daryl loomed closer.

"You're lookin' a might angry there little brother," Merle smirked, interrupting the tense standoff. "I got a spare boot if you want somethin' to throw." He'd laughed when Daryl threw that boot at that douche bag the other day, but throwin' a shoe was a bitch move. He'd taught Daryl better than that.

"Shut up jackass." Daryl didn't even look at his brother; he kept his eyes firmly trained on his cowering friend.

The Korean boy look genuinely scared. "Look, just hear me out ok? What I mean is, you know you're scary as hell," Glenn nodded towards Daryl, "Axel found that out already. But your brother's on a whole other level of crazy. And I thought, well, the threat of the _both_ of you would keep Axel away."

Rick sighed, raking his hand though his hair as the thought. "So let me get this straight. You and my son basically thought it'd be funny to make Carol the meat in a Dixon sandwich?"

Merle chuckled heartedly at the thought. "Dixon sandwich? I don't know 'bout you Friendly, but that ain't something I'm looking to experience with my brother. Even though the thought of that sweet little Carol-"

"Shut ya fuckin' mouth Merle!"

"That's enough." Rick's booming voice silenced the brothers. "With the threat of the Governor looming, we don't need the distraction of you two at each other's throats as well. We need every man on deck, do I make myself clear?" Rick waited as each man nodded his understanding. "For now, we keep the myth of the Dixon brothers alive. If that'll keep Axel occupied, but still give us the manpower he supplies, I can deal with that. I ain't lockin' up a man just 'cause he's giving Carol a little more attention now than he did before. We need every able bodied man free to fight at this point.

"As of now, we use the myth of the Dixon brothers to our advantage."

"Myth my ass," Daryl chimed in gruffly. "That bastard goes anywhere near Beth or Carol I'll put an arrow in his ass."

"I don't know about that brother. I don't think an arrow in his ass would do the trick." Merle leaned against the cell door, lazily tapping at the steel bars with his metal stump. He fixed his gaze on his brother, staring at him intently. "If it were me, I'd be aiming 'bout three feet higher than his ass."

Glenn chuckled lightly. "Wow, I never thought I'd say this…but I actually agree with Merle." The young man shuddered. "Makes me feel dirty just saying that."

"Welcome to the winning team chow mein." A thought had suddenly occurred to the older man. Merle eyed Glenn questioningly. "Who had her first?"

"What?"

"It's a simple question. Though you people were supposed to be smart. Who had her first, me or Daryl? That prisoner starts asking details I gotta know what's going on with me and my _woman_." Merle grinned as he spoke. He could see the effect the words _my woman_ were having on his brother. Daryl looking like he was ready to punch something. Or someone.

Glenn looked nervous and unsure as his eyes flickered from Daryl's face to Merle's. "Um…you first," he pointed to Merle, "then Daryl."

The older Dixon brother thought about this for a moment, nodding his agreement with this. "Good, 'cause Ol' Merle don't do sloppy seconds."

Daryl's narrowed eyes shifted to this brother's smiling face. "You ain't doin' nobody Merle."

"Just sayin' baby brother…just saying." Merle grinned at his brother with amusement. Daryl needed to man up and do something about Carol. Claim her himself. Merle was only too happy to help his brother out. If pretending to show an interest in Carol was what it took to get the dummy to finally act like a man, then damn well that's what Merle was gonna do. If Daryl didn't make a move soon, some other motherfucker would sweep in and steal that woman right out from under his nose.

Merle dropped the grin from his face as his tone turned serious. "You outta do something 'bout that Axel. That cat ain't right in the head when it comes to women," Merle ignored the other two men standing outside his cell. What he had to say was aimed directly at his brother. "I told you, you need to fix that boy. Permanently. Dixon's take care of their _own_."

"And what do you suggest Merle?" the sheriff asked.

"All I'm saying is that no-one would miss that bastard if something was to happen to him, would they? Maybe he has a fall, maybe he comes under 'friendly fire'. Dumb fuck's too busy following Carol 'round, he ain't exactly payin' attention to his surroundings is he? Maybe he gets bit." Merle thought for a second, scratching his chin with his remaining hand as he did. "He don't do nothing to help ya'll 'round here anyway."

"Say's the guy who also doesn't do anything to help either," Glenn said sarcastically.

"Let me outta this cell, I'll do something for the group; call it a public service if you like. You want Axel gone?" Merle pointed to his own chest. "I can make that happen."

Rick's jaw tensed. "That is precisely the reason I can't let you out Merle. You're too much of a loose cannon. I can't trust you."

"I don't know Rick, it would kill two birds," Glenn said thoughtfully.

Rick turned his head back to towards Glenn. "How exactly do you figure that?"

"Merle takes care of the, ah… Axel situation; we don't end up waiting for him to do something stupid. We can focus our attention on preparing for the Governor's next move. Plus, if Merle's out, then he can lend a hand. Just one though, for obvious reasons."

"Fuck you short round!" Merle spat with venom.

Glenn eyed the prisoner warily. "You want out of that cell or not asshole?"

Merle thought for moment, getting a handle on his rage. He jerked his head once. "Continue."

"Maybe Merle could just threaten Axel. The guy would be less inclined to try anything with two Dixon's stomping around the prison. Two Dixon's are scarier than one. I can't believe I'm even going to say this…but maybe we should let Merle out of his cell," Glenn caught the angry look Rick was directing his way. "Just for a few hours a day, not permanently."

"See, even Chinaman here thinks I should get yard time."

"I know what Merle did to you in Woodbury," Rick stared intently at Glenn's bruised and swollen face. He leaned forward completely ignoring the older Dixon brother as he spoke only to Glenn. "You haven't exactly been subtle about your feelings on his being here. How do I know you're not just gonna kill Merle first chance _you_ get?"

"This isn't about me; it's about protecting the group. Merle can help. That's all it is. I won't kill him…not today at least," Glenn added with a slight smirk.

"Just try it short round, just try it," Merle countered with his own smirk. He was really starting to like this cocky little shit. The two enemies regarded each other silently; finally having reached a shaky truce. So long as Merle provided a valuable service, Glenn wouldn't lay a hand on him.

Glenn sighed, switching his attention from Merle to the sheriff still standing in front of him. "The Governor isn't our only threat anymore. You said we need every man on deck, right?" Glenn paused as Rick nodded his agreement. "Well, we need to start watching things closer to home. Our problem isn't just shit-for-brains in the cell over there. Carol seriously needs to watch her ass while Axel's around."

"I don't know 'bout ya'll, but if Carol's ass needs watchin' I'm happily take that job. It'll be a _long…hard_ job, don't get me wrong, but someone's gotta do it," Merle smiled sweetly at Glenn. "And you said I don't do _anything_ 'round here."

"You best shut the hell up and keep your eyes off her Merle." Daryl growled in a low voice at his brother. He still leaned against the railing, his arms folded tightly across his chest again.

'_Little bastard wants to sock me one,_' Merle thought to himself with a silent chuckled. '_About damn time too_.'

"I hear what you're sayin' Glenn, I do, but I can't take the risk of letting Merle out yet. I'm pretty sure Michonne would kill him within five minutes, not to mention Hershel. That man can be viscous when he wants to be."

Glenn winced as he absently rubbed the back of his head. "You don't have to tell me _that_ twice."

"Merle will stay locked up for the moment, but we'll keep the myth of the Dixon brothers alive. Use it to our advantage. Mention the plan to Hershel. To keep Axel deterred, Carol is off limits to the rest of us," ordered Rick.

"Not that much different from any other day," Glenn muttered under his breath. Rick and Daryl didn't hear the younger man speak; Merle did though. Weren't much Merle didn't miss.

"Come on man, don't do this. Let me outta this cage. Bird's gotta fly," Merle pleaded, his arms outstretched.

"Until further notice your wings are clipped," Rick said as he descended the staircase. Daryl followed in his wake, shooting his brother a final menacing glare as he walked away.

"Asshole," grumbled Merle sourly.

Glenn pushed off from the railing, moving towards the staircase to follow.

"Glenn, hang back for a minute. I need to talk to ya." Merle's voice was quiet as he spoke to the younger man. What he had to say he didn't want no-one else hearing. Couldn't be too careful in here; even the damn walls of the joint had ears.

"Glenn? What, no short round? No chow mein? I don't have the keys man; Rick and Daryl have the only sets. I can't let you out."

Merle snorted. "That ain't why I wanna talk to ya. What I gotta ask is serious, so don't bullshit me," he paused as he leaned further against the bars. "This Axel guy…he as bad as you say he is, or are you just fuckin' with everyone's heads?"

The Korean man eyed Merle carefully before answering. "He hasn't done anything yet, but the way he looks at Carol…he's not just checking her out. The way he was staring at her the other day…I'd kill him if he ever looked at Maggie that way. He had this look in his eye," Glenn shuddered slightly. "Axel's bad news, trust me."

"Yeah, I got the same feelin' the other day when I saw that little punk watchin' her. I've known guys like him…done time with some bad motherfuckers. That Axel prick…he's definitely not just enjoyin' the view. He's gonna try sampling the merchandise, whether it's on sale or not."

Glenn shuffled from one foot to the other. Something was obviously bothering him. "Why this sudden concern with Carol's safety? The Merle Dixon I know doesn't give a shit about anyone other than himself or his brother."

Merle eyed the younger man warily, deciding whether he could trust him or not. The little shit was proving to be an honourable man as far as he could see. Ballsy too for a chink. Bout time Merle started dealing with someone honourable for a change.

"I ain't interested in my brother's woman if that's what you're thinkin'," Merle glanced up, staring Glenn straight in the eyes. He wanted the younger man to know what he said was genuine. "I know there's something going on between the two of them, even if _they_ don't realize it. I figured you knew that too, I mean, why else would you make up that shit 'bout them?

Merle took a deep breath before continuing. "Problem is…I know my brother. He ain't gonna do shit about her. Dumbass won't make a move. Only way Daryl's gonna do something is if he thinks someone else is trying to hit that. He'll keep Axel from her, but Daryl won't try anything on her himself. Don't think he even knows how," he admitted. Merle cleared his throat before continuing. "If I gotta give my brother a kick in the ass to get him moving in the right direction, I'll do it. Me showin' an interest in Carol will make that dummy realize he'd gotta do something. Light a fire under his ass. That woman's been good for him, I can tell."

"You're right; she has been good for him. He doesn't act like the asshole he used to be when you were at the quarry together."

The older man chuckled. Glenn really was growing on him. "I weren't always an asshole. I had my moments." The laugher died on Merle's lips as he remembered what they had been talking about. "I was serious 'bout Axel. Something needs to be done about that boy. I've done a lot of shit in my life, mostly bad I'll admit, but I ain't a rapist. Never treated a woman like that. You and me Glenn, we ain't exactly on good terms. That's on my head, I own to that. But I'll do whatever it takes to keep that bastard away from her. I need your help with that."

Glenn stood silently, his hands jammed into his pockets as he regarded Merle. The older Dixon brother watched the younger man carefully as he spoke, waiting for a reaction. Finally, Glenn nodded his head in understanding.

"Ok Merle. I believe you. Never thought I'd say those words either," Glenn smiled slightly with amusement. "I'll work on Rick; try and convince him to let you out. I can't promise anything though, but I'll try." He walked back towards the staircase, turning to speak to Merle before he descended. "Carol's my friend too; I'm not going to let anything happen to her."

Something had just occurred to Merle. "Hey short round." He smirked as an irritated look flashed over Glenn's face. "How long were you and Daryl standing down there listenin' before you walked up?"

Glenn coughed nervously. The kid hadn't realized they'd been sprung eavesdropping. "Ah…long enough to hear you think Beth's jailbait."

The older man scowled. "She's still a kid. I might be a many things, but I don't mess with teenage girls. Piece of ass like that woulda landed me in jail before the world went to shit."

Glenn chuckled lightly. "You're already in jail Merle."

"I'm well aware of the situation asshole. I'm just sayin' I prefer some miles on the clock. Some experience. Don't want to have to teach them everything. Woman's gotta know what she's doing."

"Like your 'high class tail'?" Glenn quipped as he eyed Merle. "So what kind of experience do nuns have then?"

"A nun don't have experience, but that there's a challenge. You nail a nun, that there's a first class ticket to hell." Merle grinned at the man standing outside his cell. "I figure I'm headed in that direction anyway, so why not? Ain't gonna make any difference."

"Look around man; we're already living in hell."

"Huh," Merle huffed. "I ain't even had my nun yet. This new world is fuckin' bullshit!"

**Horrendously long A/N: There are several things I feel I must address. Firstly, I actually feel terrible with what I've done to Axel. Don't get me wrong, he's still going to be a creep in this fic, but after watching his fate, I did feel a tad guilty for my treatment of him. Lew Temple did a wonderful job of giving the shifty inmate a golden heart, and for that gift I thank him.**

**Secondly, I thank you all for the wonderful reviews I have recieved. I'm glad that everyone seems to be enjoying the ride and having some laughs along the way. I have pulled back the funny slightly in this chapter. The reason for this is that writing humour is a delicate process. There's a fine line between hilarity and Daryl chasing Axel round the cell block while the Benny Hill theme music plays in my head. I was raised on a steady diet of British comedy, so I naturally gravitate to that sort of humour.**

**Thirdly, I'd like to take a moment to write to a couple of my reviewers who I can't PM.**

**lokislady: Thanks for the lovely reviews. I hope you're still with me after what Merle said about Beth. I know you've been with me since the beginning, and I know you're a Merle/Beth shipper. The thing is, I don't ship them, so I'm sorry to say you won't be seeing them together here. If it helps, the last line in the previous chapter about in-laws was inspired by your M/B love :)**

**thinkwritedelete: Thank you for your comments about Daryl's quiet reaction to the Axel situation. All I can say is that I ****_may_**** study the characters too closely; this is part obsession, part me being a perfectionist. I feel this season we have seen a real character development in Daryl's emotions. I re-watch S1 & S2, and I see Daryl react with bluster and anger to any emotional situation his is presented with, whether it's loosing his brother, the CDC ticking time bomb or his inability to find Sophia. But by S3, these new emotions he's never had to deal with before are all interalised. His dealing with Carol's 'death' for example. One of his closest friends; he grieved for her in silence. No anger or bluster that we saw, aside from ramming her knife into the floor constantly. He kept his pain quiet. Completely different to his handling of the Sophia situation. For me, Daryl would only react one way with presented with the problem of Axel, hence quiet, menacing Daryl. I'm glad you appreciated what I did, it means alot!**


	8. Chapter 8

"Come on, kick his ass!"

"Go Glenn!"

"Alright baby, you got this!"

The yells and excited cheers of the group engulfed the prison exercise yard, drowning out the ever present growl of the walkers that had become the backing track to their daily lives. Daryl sat on one of the old prison bleachers as he silently watched the scene before him unfold with equal parts mild interest, equal parts cautious concern.

The day had finally arrived. The world as they knew it was gone. Anything that had ever made sense had been thrown out the window. Pigs would be sprouting wings soon and the dead would rise from the grave. Daryl chuckled to himself at that thought. 'Bout 12 months too late for that one. Time to think of a new expression for bad shit happening. Fact was, the dead had already risen from the grave. Maybe that was the reason for what he was seeing. Despite the cold, hard fact that the world was already completely fucked up, there was definitely something still insanely wrong with what he was watching go down in the exercise yard. Hell must have frozen over; the warm Georgian afternoon sun beating down on the prison apparently wasn't gonna thaw it any time soon.

After days and days of bitching and moaning, Merle had finally gotten his wish. He was no longer an unofficial guest of the state of Georgia. Merle Dixon was a free man. Well…free for several hours at least.

No-one had been more surprised that Daryl when Rick had announced earlier that morning his decision to grant Merle's wish and let the older man out of his cage. Merle wasn't home free just yet though; his release was more of a parole. Actually, the more Daryl thought about it, the more he realized that what his brother was getting supervised visitation rights with the rest of the group.

Merle Dixon wasn't allowed to walk two feet out of his cell without a babysitter.

For his part, Merle had been happy to agree to whatever ground rules Rick lay down. If that meant walking the prison with a guard, then so be it. Daryl had never seen his brother roll over for anyone so quickly before, much less a cop. The manner in which Merle had so happily agreed to abide by whatever rules Rick set had worried Daryl initially. All he could think was that knowing Merle, his brother would take the first opportunity he could to get revenge on anyone who he'd felt had wronged him. With his track record Merle might see fit to take off Rick's hand; restitution for what Merle himself had lost. Or put a bullet thought Michonne's head. Hell, the thought even crossed Daryl's mind that his brother might finish the job he started on Glenn in Woodbury. Merle was like a hurricane; you couldn't control him, you couldn't contain him neither. But a blind man could see how desperate Merle had been to get out of that cage.

And now, after over a week of being locked up, Merle Dixon was finally getting his yard time.

What had shocked the shit outta Daryl was that it had been Glenn to finally persuade Rick to let Merle out. The young Korean man had argued the case that Merle could be an asset to the group if actually allowed. Glenn had yelled, he had bargained, at one point he even begged. The turn of events had left Daryl speechless. After what Merle had done to Glenn, beating him to within an inch of his life and threatening the woman Glenn loved, the young Korean man had been the one to plead Merle's case to their leader.

Those pigs were due to start flyin' over the prison any minute now.

Fuck, Daryl wouldn't have been surprised if they'd somehow slipped into an alternative dimension during the night. A place where black was white and Glenn didn't want to slit Merle's throat from ear to ear. Daryl had thought he'd seen everything when the dead started rising from the grave. Glenn pleading for Merle's freedom had been the weirdest fuckin' shit he'd ever seen in his life.

But as with everything in this world, Merle's temporary freedom came at a price. He was to have an armed guard on him at all times. Daryl had automatically assumed that would be his new job, but be damned if Glenn didn't volunteer for that job straight off the bat. First he wanted Merle out of that cage, then the crazy bastard wanted to partner up with the older Dixon like some crappy 80's good cop/bad cop sitcom?

Daryl could just see it now: _'Lefty and the Korean'_.

Surprisingly, Glenn and Merle had been spending more and more time together since Rick had ordered the 'myth of the Dixon brothers ' to be spread 'round the group. Daryl had watched with curious eyes as Glenn would make his way up to Merle's cell each morning, having nominated himself to bring Merle's breakfast. The younger Dixon had strained his ears to catch the sound of a muffled gunshot, or the low whisper of a blade as it sunk into living flesh, or even just the sound of air whooshing out of a person's lungs as a punch landed against a gut. But Daryl had heard none of these things. It was like Glenn and Merle were actually getting along.

Of all the horrors Daryl had seen in the last year, the living nightmares that they endured each day, watching people he knew get torn to shreds, Glenn and Merle actually getting along was the most unnatural sight he had seen. Ever.

Damn fool Glenn must have had a death wish, actually volunteering to spend time with Merle. That or Glenn had gone completely insane. Daryl knew from personal experience that in under a minute his brother could go from placid to nastier than a kicked wasps' nest.

What was going on at the prison lately? Axel getting horny as all hell, Merle and Glenn getting all buddy-buddy, even quiet little Carol getting that sassy mouth on her. What the hell was the world coming to?

Despite the two former enemies calling a truce they still had their issues. Didn't have to be a psychic to see shit was going to hit the fan sooner or later. Someone was bound to try pokin' at that wasps nest with a big old stick. Just so happened Glenn had been to one to be carrying the metaphorical stick that day. The issues between the two men had finally come to head that morning, leading to the scene Daryl was watching now.

What had started as casual insults being hurled back and forth between the Glenn and Merle as they walked the fence had quickly escalated to a fully-fledged brawl. One had pushed the other. Punches were thrown. Daryl didn't know who had started it. If someone had of asked him a year ago, he would have said without hesitation that Merle would have definitely started the fight. Hell, Merle started every fight he'd ever been involved in. His track record spoke for itself. Now, knowing Glenn and how the man had changed in the past year, Daryl wouldn't have been able to give you a straight answer either way who had started shit. Problem was Daryl was sure he'd have to step in and finish it. Clean up the mess his brother made, same as always, just like when they were kids. But low and behold, Merle and Glenn had come to their own arrangement on how to settle their differences once and for all. A gentleman's agreement they had called it.

Those two idiots had decided to duke it out. Settle their shit like men.

No fucking way Merle was a gentleman; Daryl knew his brother. Didn't trust him to keep his word, and that mistrust had led to Daryl observing the show from the sidelines. This could go either way; bloody as hell or funny as fuck.

He watched through narrowed eyes as Merle and Glenn circled each other, both crouched close to the ground as they sized up their opposition. The younger Dixon was ready to break up the fight if it got too heated. Not that he was too worried about that happening any time soon. Both Glenn and Merle were wearing goofy grins on their faces like they were having the time of their lives. Dumbass morons were actually enjoying themselves.

"Shit," Daryl said to himself, "Glenn's just as crazy as Merle."

Considering the way Merle had been leering at Carol lately, Daryl silently hoped Glenn managed to get a few good hits in before Merle took him out. And he was certain Merle would win. Merle always won. Daryl didn't know why the thought of Merle with Carol bothered him so much…but there was no FUCKING way he was gonna let Merle try and sweet talk that woman into his bed.

As much as Daryl hated to admit it, Merle had been right. In his previous life the older brother could have talked his way into a nun's pants. For some reason the older man had a way with the ladies. Whatever line he was selling, women always swallowed it hook, line and sinker. But there was no way in hell Daryl was going to take the chance that Carol would fall for Merle's bullshit too. It wasn't that he thought Carol was actually dumb enough to believe anything that came out of Merle's mouth. She knew how much of an ass he could be…but this was _Merle_ after all. He never struck out. Bad enough Daryl had to watch that prick Axel, but now he had to keep an eye on his brother too.

Carol was a smart woman, but she'd already fallen for one asshole in the past. Daryl wasn't about to run the risk of her falling for a second.

Why did the thought of Carol and Merle together bother him so damn much?

Shaking his head vigorously as he tried to dislodge the thought of Merle and Carol together, Daryl looked around the exercise yard at the rest of the audience that had been drawn outside. Other members of the group had quickly streamed into the yard when word of the burgeoning fight spread. Rick, Carl, Beth, Hershel, Maggie, Axel and Michonne had made their way outside to join Daryl in watching the show. One by one they had made their way into the yard to form a loose circle around the two sparing men. Most of the group was there. Wasn't like they had cable to pass the time anymore.

The threat of the Governor still loomed largely in all of their minds, but their chosen venue was protected by Tyreese and his people as they kept watch from the guard towers. They had been more than willing to show their loyalty to the group. The new people desperately wanted to be able to call the prison their home too.

Daryl glanced around at the assembled faces. Aside from the arena at Woodbury, he hadn't seen so many people gunning for a Dixon to get his ass kicked in quite a while. The yelling and the cheering was riling up the walkers outside the gate, but that didn't deter anyone. They'd been too damn long cooped up in that concrete box they called a home. They needed to blow off some steam. The yelling in the yard took him back to his childhood. Back then, it had been the neighbourhood kids cheering for whoever was stupid enough to pick a fight with one of the Dixon boys. Those dumbasses never learnt that if you got into a fight with a Dixon, weren't no way in hell you'd be leavin' the winner.

Daryl dragged himself out of the memory to focus on what was happening before him. The assembled group was still screaming, but not in the same bloodthirsty manner the citizens of Woodbury had been. The sounds surrounding the yard now were almost jovial. More like an old fashioned boxing match than a fight to the death. It didn't shock him that the crowd was calling for an ass kicking; Merle was universally disliked. Even at the end of the world, some things didn't change.

The loudest cheers in the exercise yard were coming from Maggie. Weren't surprising; that girl was crazy 'bout Glenn. Even with the little Daryl knew about these things, he could clearly see that the older Greene daughter loved Glenn. She stood on the opposite side of the yard to the Daryl, clapping and jumping wildly around to encourage her man. Daryl still had no idea how a scrawny little guy like Glenn managed to get a looker like Maggie. Maybe Merle had been right. The apocalypse paid off for some. Daryl's gaze flickered over each face assembled outside; unconsciously searching for one member of their group in particular. He couldn't see her out there; she must be inside with Lil' Asskicker. Daryl still couldn't bring himself to call the kid Judith. Lil' Asskicker was a much better name as far as he was concerned.

"What's going on?"

The sound of Carol's soft voice so close to his own ear surprised the hell out of Daryl, causing him to jump about a foot in the air and yelp with shock. Regaining his composure, he glanced sideways to find she had managed to appear seemingly out of thin air to stand next to the bench where he sat.

_'Damn woman must be readin' my mind,'_ Daryl thought as he tried to shake the last few clinging threads of shock from his tense shoulders.

There was a mischievous glint in her eyes as she held out a bowl towards him in her outstretched hand. He heard a light chuckle leave her lips as she started into his face. Carol was apparently very amused to have finally gotten the drop on him. She'd never been able to surprise Daryl before.

First time for everything.

"Jesus Christ! You tryin' to kill me?" He stared at her, instantly annoyed at her laughter. "What the hell is wrong with you?" Daryl shot her an anger filled glare. The offending woman standing at his side only continued to chuckle at his expense. Damn woman didn't even had the decency to pretend she weren't tickled pink!

"That ain't goddamn funny!" he huffed at her. Didn't she realize her laughter was damaging to a man's pride?

Carol's light chuckle grew into a loud laugh. "You have to admit, it's kind of funny. Big bad Daryl Dixon scared out of his skin by plain old me."

He huffed in annoyance. "Nothing plain about you." Daryl felt the tips of his ears burning as he ducked his head down, focusing intently on the bench his boot clad feet rested on. Why the hell did he just say? To her of all people? He cleared his throat, trying to rid the air of the words he had already spoken. He kept his eyes trained on his boots as he spoke. He didn't trust himself to look at the woman standing next to him just yet. "Ain't scared me outta my skin neither. Too damn busy keepin' an eye on Merle to realize you were creepin' around like some damn cat burglar."

She was standing so close to him. Distractingly close. He could smell the faint trace of laundry soap mixed with baby formula that always seemed to cling to her skin lately. It wasn't bad; on her he actually found it kind of nice. He knew she was close by whenever he smelt it. Daryl wanted to be annoyed, but he made the mistake of raising his eyes from his boots to her face. One glance up at that smile melted any traces of annoyance and anger he felt. He couldn't stay mad at her when she was clearly so happy about something. Even if that happiness came at his expense.

"I wasn't creeping around. YOU just didn't hear me," she chuckled lightly. "You really can't complain Daryl. You're the only who taught me how to move around without making a sound." Not waiting for a reply, Carol silently thrust the bowl closer towards Daryl as she smiled sweetly at him. He eyed the bowl warily. He knew full well that it was the squirrel he caught earlier that morning, but his pride was injured at Carol being able to surprise him like that. Daryl felt his stomach rumble in response to the proximity of the food. He hadn't had a chance to eat yet today.

Didn't want her thinking all was forgiven just yet. Damn woman might make a habit of scaring the shit outta him. He'd never live it down if she knew how close she'd come to giving him a heart attack just then.

Not that she'd scared him.

The small woman was getting good at sneaking up on him…too good in fact. Not that it wasn't a good skill to have; the ability to move quietly was essential to survival in this new world. He had been the one to teach her how to temper her steps through the woods. Didn't mean he liked it when she crept up on him. He was fine with her doing it to everyone else. But it made him nervous when she caught him unawares. Lately she made him jumpy enough as it was, and couldn't for the life of him put his finger on the reason why. It'd been bad enough when she'd lunged at him the other day when he skinned his knee. He didn't need her making a practice of startling him. Not to mention the fact that whatever usually crept up on him got either a bolt to the head or a knife to the throat.

Daryl grunted, looking at the still giggling woman from the corner of his eye. "Thought it'd be to my own advantage if you learnt to make less noise. I can't get any rest with you stompin' 'round my perch at all hours."

He watched as she bit her lip, trying without success to hide the small smile threatening to escape. Try as she might to stop laughing outwardly, her shoulders still shook with tell-tale laughter. Her eyes were still twinkling playfully as she looked straight at him. "I'm sorry to hear that I keep you awake at night Daryl. I'll try and keep it down when you're in bed from now on…" she paused, leaning in closer to his ear, "just for your _benefit_."

Daryl felt his face grown hot as her giggling started again. He jerked his head away from her and dropped his eyes, choosing to stare at his hands wrung together before him. It was safer to_ not_ look at her right now. Damn woman knew he hadn't meant it like that. She damn well knew he was referring to the noise she made coming to check on his stitches days ago. As much as she'd learnt during the last winter surviving on the road, she still hadn't mastered the art of walking silently on those creaky prison stairs.

What was with all her making all those jokes lately? Was this some new form of torture she had created just for her own enjoyment? When had sweet, mild little Carol Peletier turned into such tease? Not that Daryl didn't like this new, stronger version of Carol. The change she had made in herself had definitely been for the better. He smirked, thinking that she could probably kick his ass given the chance. The Carol he remembered from the quarry wouldn't have been able to do that. Bastard of a husband had beaten her into submission. But the woman standing next to him now was strong and independent, but at the same time she was confusing as all hell. Did she have to say things that she knew would make him blush like a schoolgirl?

His gaze flickered up from his hands to catch her still smiling face angled towards him. "I taught you that so you'd stay alive. Weren't no other reason than that. Didn't think you'd use it scare the shit outta me."

"Ha! So you admit it, I did scare you!" Carol grinned triumphantly at him.

He scowled at her. The grin on her face grew wider the more he scowled. Sure he liked seein' her smile; he hadn't meant to confess she had actually scared the living daylights outta him.

The obviously pleased woman continued to hold the bowl out towards him, thrusting it in his direction again with renewed vigour. You couldn't say she lacked determination. Daryl thought back to their time on the Greene farm when she had refused to let him pull away from the group; stubbornly ignoring his orders to leave him alone. He would never say it to her, but he was glad she had persevered with him. She was about the only person in his life that ever had.

"You worry too much about keeping everyone else fed Daryl. You don't take time to look after yourself. I know you haven't eaten anything yet today." Carol shook the bowl in front of him face again. "Come on, take it. It won't bite."

He grunted his acceptance of the plate, skewering a chunk of meat and bringing it to his mouth. "Too much else in this damn world bites now. Don't need anything else to start." He groaned with pleasure as he chewed the meat. The woman may give him a heart attack moving as quiet as the night, but damn, she cooked like a world class chef. He'd take a heart attack every day so long as she kept cooking for him like that.

Carol dropped her eyes and looked at him slyly from beneath her lashes. "So…I guess a hickey's out of the question then?"

Daryl started choking on the piece of meat he was chewing, trying desperately to breathe while simultaneously dying of embarrassment. He could feel the food lodged in his throat as he struggled for air. Vaguely he could feel Carol's tiny hand thumping firmly on his back, trying to help him dislodge the offending morsel blocking his airway. One particularly forceful slap delivered by Carol managed to free the half-chewed piece of squirrel from his throat. Daryl coughed painfully, spitting and spluttering as he spat the meat out onto the ground. He tried to regain his breath as he wiped his mouth clean with the back of his hand, glaring at Carol though narrowed eyes as he did so.

Hopefully, she would think his red face was a side effect of nearly choking to death, and not the burning blush that had instantly appeared on his face when she said asked for a hickey. Anyone asked, he was still having trouble breathing, simple as that. And that's the story he'd be stickin' to. What was with her today?

Right now, Daryl didn't appreciate this new sassy version of Carol very much. Causing a man to nearly choke to death would strain any friendship.

That tiny hand on his back was still there, rubbing soothing circles on it. As embarrassed as he was, Daryl found he actually enjoyed the sensation of her gentle touch, not that he'd ever admit to it. Why did her presence have to both comfort and piss him off simultaneously today? This shit was confusing.

Carol at least had the good sense to look at him sheepishly as she continued to rub his back. "You ok?" Her voice was tinged with concern.

Daryl snorted. "You damn near killed me, and_ now_ you're worried if I'm ok?"

"I always worry if you're ok," she answered quietly, her hand coming to rest on his shoulder lightly as she did so.

Daryl looked at the woman standing next to him. The laughter she held in her eyes before had given way to something couldn't put his finger on. She looked soft and timid and anxious all at the same time. She was even chewing her lip nervously.

"Don't need to worry 'bout me," he said gruffly as he turned his head away from her penetrating gaze. The look she was giving him was making him nervous as hell.

The small woman signed with resignation. "We make quite a pair, don't we? I worry too much and you don't eat enough."

"I don't eat enough?" He grunted with disbelief. "You livin' in a glass house now or somethin'? Ya too damn skinny as it is."

"You sure do know how to complement a girl, don't you Daryl?" She teased, grinning at his joke as she softly squeezed his shoulder. He felt the muscles in his back tense in response to the light pressure he felt from her hand.

He was getting better at accepting the unconscious touches of the group; Lord knew they were always trying to hug or touch him. But for some reason her touch still affected him more. He didn't flinch away from her, but the contact of her hand with his body always made him want to high-tail it straight for the hills.

"So, what exactly is going on out here?" Carol gestured to the jeering circle surrounding Glenn and Merle. As if sensing Daryl's growing unease she dropped her hand from him shoulder and stepped slightly away, giving him some space. "One minute I'm making lunch, the next thing I know I've been abandoned in the cell block!"

Daryl was grateful for the change of subject. He nodded towards the still crouching men across from them. "Those two idiots are fightin'."

"They're fighting?" surprise clear in Carol's voice. "But why?"

Daryl grunted as he shoved another piece of meat into his mouth. He was just glad their conversation had moved on from her jokes and teasing. "Clear the air 'bout Woodbury."

Carol stared at the scene before her, taking in the two men still circling each other and the cheering crowd egging them on. She shook her head in disgust. "That's barbaric."

Neither men had landed a punch yet; Daryl would of heard it if they had. Both were still seemingly content to size up their prey. Both were still grinning like Cheshire cats too. The sound of Glenn's loud laughter echoed through the exercise yard, bouncing off the surrounding buildings. Maybe Merle had actually met his match in the crazy town stakes. And Daryl had always thought his brother would forever be the mayor of that town.

"Barbaric?" Daryl scoffed, "that's just Merle bein' Merle. Right here, right now, he's probably happier than a-"

"Come on chow-mien; show me what ya got!" Merle's taunting shout interrupted Daryl's train of thought. The younger Dixon turned his attention from Carol back to the two men still slowly circling each other. As far as Daryl could see, neither had managed yet to land the first blow. They both stood yards apart as they faced-off. It looked like the two fools were having too much of a good time taunting each other to get around to actually fighting.

"I ain't got all day man. We gonna do this or not?" Merle stopped moving suddenly, moving his remaining hand in front of his body in a stopping motion. His eye's narrowed as if something had finally occurred to him. "None of the ninja karate shit though boy, we here is fightin' like men."

"Ninja shit Merle?" Glenn demanded with a disbelieving voice as he also stopped moving. The grin he previously wore now replaced with a scowl. He stood from his crouched position opposite Merle, panting slightly as he rested his hands on his hips. "You really are a racist piece of shit, aren't you? If I was going to use any 'ninja shit' on you I wouldn't of waited 'til now to do it. I would have slit your throat days ago."

Merle grinned slowly at his opponent. "Try it Ping Pong…I'm _beggin_' ya to try it," the older man pointed his metal clad stump in Glenn's direction. "Be the last thing ya ever do, mark my words."

"Last thing I ever do?" Glenn asked with disbelief. "For inbred white trash, you've sure got a high opinion of yourself." The young Korean man dropped into his crouching position again as he started moving clockwise in Merle's direction. He grinned up at Merle from his lowered position. "I don't need ninja skills to kick your sorry ass."

The older Dixon dropped into a matching crouched position as he mimicked Glenn's stance. His voice was deadly serious as he spoke. "You think you can take me to school? Come on boy, you best show Ol' Merle what ya got."

Daryl watched as Glenn grinned wildly across the yard towards Merle. "You sure about that Grandpa? You know Merle, maybe you're getting too old for fighting like this. Maybe you should step back before you hurt yourself." Glenn's voice was taunting as he addressed the older Dixon.

"Hurt myself? HURT MYSELF!" The obvious insult was not lost on the older Dixon brother; his voice raising several octaves as he spoke. Merle stopped dead in his tracks, righting himself again to stare incredulously at Glenn.

Daryl couldn't hide the smirk growing on his face. Merle _hated_ anyone calling him out on his age. To his right, Daryl could hear Carol trying to muffle her laughter.

"You got a problem with your hearing _old man_?" Glenn cupped his hands around his mouth as he yelled across the yard at the older man. "BECAUSE THAT'S USUSALLY THE FIRST THING TO GO WITH MEN YOUR AGE!"

Merle regarded the younger man standing across from him for a moment. His voice held a dangerous edge as he watched his opponent through narrowed eyes. "You best remember who you're talkin' to boy. I can whoop your yellow ass with one hand tied behind my back."

"Yeah, but since you only got one hand left that's gonna present a slight problem!" Glenn mocked cheerfully. It was clear to everyone watching that Glenn thoroughly enjoying the rise he was getting out of the older Dixon.

"See?" Daryl smirked as he pointed his plate-holding hand towards Glenn. Everyone watching could see Glenn was obviously enjoying himself. Pity Merle weren't. Daryl didn't move his gaze from the two circling baboons in front of him as he spoke to the woman next to him. "It ain't barbaric. Glenn's just havin' some fun."

A disagreeing sound came from his right. Daryl tore his eyes from the fight to view the small woman still standing close to him. Carol's focus was glued on the scene before them and she clearly wasn't enjoying the show. Her arms were folded tightly against her chest. Her face was fixed with a scowl and her lips were pursed tightly. Daryl had the sudden urge to reach out and touch her face. Wipe that scowl from her features. The thought shook him to his core as he dropped his eyes to the safer sight of the now empty bowl still clutched tightly his in hands. He hadn't ever thought of touching her like that before. He was instantly glad he still held the empty bowl. It kept his hands from doing something stupid like actually reaching out to her.

"You still think this isn't barbaric?" Carol's question brought Daryl out of his thoughts. Raising his sight from the bowl in his hands and returning it to the two sparing men before him, he suddenly understood her disproval.

"Oh shit," Daryl sighed with frustration. The fight had escalated real quick in the time he had looked away.

The tables had turned. Glenn and Merle were still standing off against each other, but with one slight difference. Before Daryl had looked away, both of the circling men had been unarmed. Now that wasn't the case. Merle had acquired a long metal rod from somewhere, and he was twirling it lazily like a baton in front of his body. Damn thing looked an awful lot like a barbell. Considering where they were all situated to watch the fight, it seemed a pretty good guess that the rod Merle was swinging in front of his body came from the prison weight set.

"By the time I'm done with you," Merle stopped swinging the barbell to point it squarely at Glenn's chest, "you're gonna be pissin' blood boy. Ya gonna be too messed up for your sweet little southern belle to even _want_ to kiss your boo-boo's better." The older man continued to pace back and forth slowly, swinging the metal rod threateningly as he did so.

The crowd that had so eagerly assembled to watch the fight initially had now become completely silent as they watched Merle swing that barbell with apparent ease.

"Ain't so cocky now are you, ya smart mouth little shit. Ol' Merle's meanin' business and suddenly you're pissin' ya pants."

The young Korean man stood frozen to the spot. Daryl could see Glenn was eyeing Merle warily. Maggie had moved to stand behind her man; her fierce gaze locked on the person threatening her man. Everyone there knew weapons weren't part of the gentleman's agreement between Glenn and Merle. But Daryl knew his brother well enough to know that Merle would always fight dirty, agreement or not. Every time.

"Come on, you wanna dance bitch? Let's dance!" A menacing grin overtook Merle's face. Daryl knew that grin well. Whenever the Dixon brothers had of been in a fight before the world went to hell, that grin would of meant the older brother was about to unleash his own unique brand of insane rage.

The silence that had overtaken the exercise yard was thick. Every set of eyes fixed squarely on Merle. Suddenly the prospect of a fight wasn't so entertaining now. Daryl could feel Carol shifting nervously beside him. He knew he needed to reel in his brother. If Merle kept at this, he would kill Glenn, gentleman's agreement or not. Daryl knew he couldn't trust his brother to keep his word.

"Merle! That's enough!" Daryl called as he stood, towering high above the rest of the group from his position on the bleachers. He could feel Carol's gaze burning into his back. The younger Dixon waited for his brother to acknowledge him, staring hard at the back of Merle's head, willing the other man to turn around and face him. Spurred into action either by Daryl's words or gaze, the older Dixon spun around slowly, his gaze searching, finally settling on where his baby brother stood.

Merle's eyes narrowed as he stared at his brother. An angry muscle twitched in his cheek as he spat on the ground, his eyes never leaving Daryl's as he spoke. "Damn it Darylena, why you gotta be such a pussy? Always gotta act like someone's pissed in ya cornflakes. Glenn and I are just havin' a private discussion is all."

The younger Dixon scoffed. "Private discussion? You got half the damn group out here whoopin' your asses on. High time you two called an end to this shit." Daryl walked down the bench seats to make his way to the ground. He could feel the entire weight of the assembled group's gaze focused on him. He nodded to the barbell Merle clutched tightly in his left hand. "Drop it."

Merle gave Daryl an annoyed grimace as he slowly lowered the metal rod to the ground, dropping the end with a 'ping' as it connected with the concrete floor. "Goddamn it little brother, I woulda thought you'd be in a more forgiving mood with our_ woman_ standing next to ya."

The implication of Merle's words instantly brought the hackles on Daryl's neck up. Daryl could see Merle's eye's focusing on the air behind him. Without turning, he knew damn well who Merle was looking at behind him. She was the only one who'd been anywhere near Daryl as they watched the fight.

Raising his metal covered stump, Merle proceeded to wave, a leering smile plastered on his face as he did so. "Hey Carol. Lookin' mighty fine today." One-handed son-of-a-bitch even had the balls to wink at her!

The blood in Daryl's veins started boiling. He didn't remember doing it, but he felt his fists balled tight against his thighs. If looks could kill, he knew without a doubt that the look he was levelling at Merle would have stopped his brother's heart instantly. God, he was just itchin' to punch that leering smile right off of his brother's face. Goddamn Glenn and his crazy ass story. The kid might have been trying to protect Carol, but this story was causin' Daryl more problems than a truckload of walkers.

"Hey Lefty!" Glenn's voice broke through the tense air surrounding the two men. As Merle turned back towards the voice that had addressed him he was greeted by the sight of Glenn not two feet away from him, brandishing a folded-up metal chair. Glenn swung the chair swiftly at Merle, connecting with the older man's twisted back and clipping his head in the process. The resounding crack as metal collided with man reverberated across the cement enclosed yard. Merle's body crumpled instantly to the ground from the force of the impact.

The silence in the exercise yard was deafening. First time in history that Merle Dixon had ever lost a fight.

"Ninja sneak attack move!" Glenn cried triumphantly as he dropped the chair carelessly on the ground, his chest heaving heavily at the strain of wielding the unconventional weapon. "WINNER!" The younger man threw his arms in the air in victory, but dropped them both instantly to grab his torso. A look of pain overcame the younger man's face.

"He shouldn't have been fighting," Carol spoke softly. Daryl could feel the woman standing behind him bristle with annoyance. "Glenn's ribs are still healing."

Daryl let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. In the last twelve months he had seen some fucked-up shit, but never in a million years would be have expected to see the small Korean man blindside Merle like that. Daryl had to admit, as much as he loved his brother, it was good to see Merle get his ass handed to him occasionally. Might remind the older Dixon that the sun don't shine outta his ass like he thought it did.

"Glenn's a big boy. He knew what he was getting into," Daryl commented dryly as he watched the younger man struggle with his existing injuries.

Maggie ran forward, slamming her body into Glenn's as she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. He slung a loose arm around her waist, returning her embrace. The younger man grimaced in pain at the contact but refused to let go of his girl. Daryl couldn't hide the smirk from his face as the Greene girl pulled back from Glenn to start fussing over his still healing injury. The triumphant look previously on Glenn's face transformed to a chastised expression. Maggie had pulled away from him and was waggling a nagging finger in her man's face.

Looked like Glenn was safer trying to fight a weapon-welding Merle moments ago then he were now, facing toe-to-toe with his woman.

The sound of several groans coming from Merle's slumped over body on the ground drew Daryl's attention away from the young couple. Slowly, the fallen man raised his good arm to gingerly rub the back of his neck as he looked around tentatively. "Jesus H. Christ! What the fuck was that?"

Glenn turned away from Maggie to face Merle. "A chair," he answered casually with a shrug of his shoulders.

"A chair?" Merle asked with disbelief. "You hit me with a fuckin' chair?!"

"Correction Merle," Maggie smiled as she leaned against Glenn's shoulder. "He kicked your _ass_ with a fuckin' chair."

"Whatever," Merle grumbled sorely. "Your boy don't play fair."

"Play fair?" Glenn asked unbelievingly as he stepped away from Maggie. He dropped down to one knee, levelling his gaze with Merle's. "What do you know about playing fair? _You_ were the one who beat the shit out of me in Woodbury! _You_ threatened to cut off my nose! _You_ duct taped me to a chair and locked me in a room with a walker. Plus, _you_ just came at me with a barbell." Glenn paused as he stood, towering over the defeated man lying before him. "Playing fair is bullshit. We're even now."

Merle grunted as he looked up at the man towering over him. "Thought you didn't need that ninja shit to kick my ass."

"I lied."

The younger man extended his left hand down towards Merle. Daryl watched as his brother regarded Glenn silently for a moment. To Daryl's amazement, Merle took Glenn's offered hand without complaint as the younger man helped pull Merle to his feet. The two men held each other's gaze as they shook hands. Both nodded as if reaching some form of silent mutual understanding.

First time in his life Daryl hadn't needed to step in and break up one of Merle's fights.

Those pigs were definitely due to start flyin' over the prison any minute now.

**A/N: Thank you all for the amazing reviews. I'm still having trouble believing people are enjoying my twisted sense of humor! I have to apologise for the tardiness in uploading this chapter. After such a positive response to Chapter 7, Merle decided to abscond to Boca Raton with Carol for the month to thoroughly bask in your praises. Lot less walkers in Florida I hear. True story. Well...maybe not entirely true, but you get the drift. I haven't forgoten about this story, but after the untimely end of the older Dixon brother, I have to admit I had trouble getting back into any writing involving Merle. But I had such a fantastic response to Merle that I couldn't leave him out of this. You try ignoring the Merle Dixon voice in your head and see what luck you have!**


	9. Chapter 9

Carol couldn't believe what she had just seen. Merle Dixon, the man who seemed to think he was the answer to all of humanities problems, God's gift to women _and_ completely infallible too boot, had actually lost a fight…to Glenn Rhee of all people. Merle had been knocked out cold, in front of witnesses no less. Sweet, kind, thoughtful Glenn had smacked the crap out of Merle with a folding chair. Now Carol wasn't a bloodthirsty woman by nature. A lifetime of being on the receiving end of her husband's fists had left her with an intense hatred of violence. But she had to admit, the sight of Merle Dixon getting his ass kicked was one of the more enjoyable things she had witnessed since the apocalypse had begun. She had even had to stifle an unbridled cheer from escaping her lips as she watched Glenn hit the unsuspecting Merle across the back of the head.

She had been shocked to walk into the exercise yard that afternoon to find almost everyone assembled to watch the fight between Merle and Glenn. Never in her life had Carol thought that everyone in the group, her new family, would be so bloodthirsty, so barbaric. Even if it was Merle's head they were cheering for on a pike. He was still family, and Lord knew you couldn't pick and choose your family. He was the alcoholic uncle who had a racist and sexist view on absolutely everything. He was the one family member that you avoided like the plague at the annual family Christmas party. Well, used to avoid before the world went to hell. But love him or hate him, you were still stuck with him.

No, Carol wasn't a bloodthirsty woman, but watching Merle drop to the ground like a sack of potatoes was definitely going to become one of her favourite memories.

The fact that Merle had actually lost a fight was surprising enough, but_ then_ he had turned out to be quite the gracious loser. That startling development had left Carol dumbfounded. She knew men like Merle Dixon were arrogant beyond compare. Her asshole of a husband had been the same way; he hated losing, hated being told what to do, hated with a burning intensity anyone who made him feel inferior. Carol had ignorantly placed Merle in the same category as Ed. She didn't think Merle Dixon would be able to handle losing. But with a new world seemed to bring new attitudes. She had just watched him lose a fight and then shake the hand of the winning man. A winning man of _Asian_ descent.

Her mouth had dropped open at the sight.

Carol was the first to admit she didn't know Merle Dixon that well, but she never would have pegged the man for a gracious loser. And from the way Daryl silently stood in front of her, his shoulders rigid with shock, she could tell he was just as surprised as she was with the outcome of the fight.

The drug-addicted, racist Merle Dixon she remembered briefly from the quarry would never have done something as civil as shake the hand of the man who had bested him. He never would have done something so mature. The Merle she remembered then was a two year old tantrum-prone boy trapped in a man's body. But a lot had changed in the past year. The man in the centre of the exercise yard was a different person altogether from the hot-headed man she remembered from the quarry. He resembled Daryl in some ways, but their similarities went deeper than their shared DNA. Both were strong; you had to be to survive against the walkers. They both flourished in this hellish word too. Both would do anything to protect their families. Merle's family extended as far as his bloodline. Daryl's family was adopted during the past hellish year. Both were equipped to withstand the harsh conditions of the survivalist lifestyle. And despite both displaying the capacity for leadership, neither wanted to shoulder the responsibility that came hand in hand with that role. But both men had amounted to more in this new world then they would have allowed themselves to be in the old world.

Seemed as if the apocalypse was working in the favour of _both_ the Dixon boys.

Merle was still an ass though, of that much Carol was absolutely certain. And she was sure that fact would never change. She'd see Daryl wearing a pink tutu, complete with his crossbow slung across his back, dancing Swan Lake on point from one side of the exercise yard to the other before Merle turned into a gentle, productive member of the group like his younger brother had.

Not many people would have the gall to call Daryl gentle. Lord knew he had demonstrated his own hot-headed temper enough times in the past. Most would have labelled him volatile. But over this past winter, Carol had been lucky enough to grow closer to the intensely private man. On the rare occasion, she had even been offered a brief glimpse of his gentle nature. She knew the Daryl that most didn't get to meet. A man who offered a distressed woman hope with a single flower. A man who searched endlessly for her missing daughter; a child who held no tie or connection to him. A man who laid a symbol of a bond on an empty grave. _Her_ empty grave to be more precise. That gentle man who had become one of her closest friends, and she was one of his she hoped to think.

She had earned the right to call him the gentle man she knew he was deep down.

He didn't know that she knew he was the person responsible for placing the flower on her grave. No one did. But when she had gone to pay her respects to Lori and T-Dog she had found a third grave with a 'C' in stones placed as a marker and a Cherokee rose nestled amongst the dirt. She knew the group had assumed her dead; fallen with the other lost members of their patchwork family that fateful day. She held the knowledge silently that Daryl had visited her grave. He would have done that alone, she knew that without a doubt. He wouldn't show his grief for her, a weakness he perceived in himself, in front of anyone. Not even Rick.

She knew that Daryl had grieved for her in the only way he knew how. Silently and away from prying eyes. From what Glenn had told her, she knew he had tried to hide his pain from the other members of the group. She also knew he had failed at that attempt. They had all been together in too close quarters for too long now to try and hide something from each other like that. Admitting he had suffered when he thought her dead was not something that he would allow to happen.

Carol understood Daryl. She understood his way of thinking. She had witness enough from his actions to construct a clear point of view of the man. She knew that the rules he lived by had been beaten into him by a heartless father.

Dixon men were strong.

Dixon men were tough.

Dixon men were machines.

They did not show emotion. It was a miracle that Daryl had even started to break free of the shackles that came attached to his family name. Slowly but surely, he had changed from what a Dixon man _should_ be into what a good man _could _be.

Carol's thoughts were interrupted by the solitary figure of the other Dixon man still standing in the middle of the yard. '_The problem one,'_ she thought to herself. He stood, hunched over, as he attempted to dust his pants off with his remaining hand. Seeming to give up after a few half-hearted swipes, he raised his head and slowly surveyed the area. She watched with interest as his line of sight paused. Following his gaze, Carol could see Merle's attention had come to rest on Axel. The annoying inmate was standing on the opposite side of the yard, his eyes locked on Daryl's form still poised almost protectively in front of her. The man was most definitely watching Daryl, not Carol.

That was new.

_'What the hell is that weasel up to now?'_ Carol thought, watching the inmate who was apparently unaware that he in turn was being watched by two people.

She was too familiar with the way Axel was looking at Daryl. The creepy inmate had looked at her enough in the same fashion over the last few weeks. His eyes were narrowed. His head was tilted slightly to the side. He was absently stroking his moustache. The man did all of these things when he was lost in thought.

_'Maybe Axel's attention has moved onto someone he thinks is more interesting than me,' _Carol thought as she noticed the way in which Axel was staring at Daryl.

The mere idea brought forth a fit of giggles from the woman, causing her to crush her hand to her mouth in a vain attempt to stifle the offending sound. Thinking of Axel trailing Daryl around the prison like a lost puppy dog, hitting on the redneck instead of her…the mental image alone was simply too much to bear.

And then the thought of how Daryl would react to such attention from Axel caused Carol to laugh even harder, resulting in her doubling over and wrapping her arm around her stomach as she tried hold in her hysterics.

Daryl turned to look over his shoulder at her, raising a questioning eyebrow as he did so. Too lost in her laughter to answer, Carol held up her hand in front of herself, trying to motion to Daryl that her current situation wasn't anything to be questioned or concerned about.

The action only caused a deeper expression of confusion to appear on Daryl's face. That look alone caused a fresh wave of laughter to burst forth from Carol's lips. Once she started laughing it was almost impossible to stop. But Daryl wasn't the only Dixon whose attention was captured by the sound of her muffled laughter. Merle's head snapped around, his gaze moving from Axel's skulking form to land on her chuckling face finally. Smiling at Carol in a leering manner, the older Dixon brother started strutting towards her. The problem was that Merle seemed to have forgotten his brother was standing between him and the woman he was aiming for.

Merle being Merle, he was probably flat out ignoring the presence of Daryl standing in his way. Carol got the feeling that a man like Merle always ignored whatever got in his way.

The sight of Merle moving towards her with such purpose instantly silenced the laughter on her lips. She didn't like the look the older Dixon was levelling at her. He looked too focused on her, like he was a lion on the prowl for something to eat.

She was suddenly aware of a change in light surrounding her, as if clouds had instantly gathered to cover the yard. Glancing up from her still doubled-over position, Carol could see the afternoon sky was bright and clear without a trace of cloud. It wasn't an atmospheric condition that had caused the change of light; it was a different force of nature entirely. Daryl had moved to stand closer to her crouched form, blocking Merle's path to her and in turn bathing her in his shadow.

Daryl turned his head to speak over his shoulder to her again. "You watch yourself with Merle, you hear me?" He waited as she stood, nodding her head briefly with understanding when she reached her full height.

Carol wasn't scared of the older Dixon brother, but that didn't mean she want to become another notch on his already well-whittled bedpost. And she knew damn well that's what Merle wanted with her. He'd been less than subtle with his come-ons. If Daryl though there was cause enough for her to tread carefully around Merle, then she would trust his judgement. She always trusted his judgement. Daryl knew Merle better than anyone else after all.

"Well, if it ain't the two prison lovebirds," Merle drawled as he strutted towards them.

Carol could feel the tension radiating from Daryl's position not two feet from her. He stood protectively in front of her, his shoulders set as he watched Merle approach. Something was going on between the two brothers. Not that she could see his face, but by the angle of his head it looked like Daryl was staring Merle down as the older man approached. Carol just wasn't sure why Daryl was acting this way…yes they were friends, but why would he care if Merle hit on her? After all, Glenn's story allowed for both Dixon brothers to hang around her without question.

Merle sauntered up to Carol and Daryl, a mischievous grin plastered on his face as he moved. He walked straight past Daryl, purposefully bumping the other man's shoulder with his own as he passed. Carol's body tensed as Merle came to a stop very close to her. He was so close that Carol could feel the heat rolling off his body; a result of the afternoon scuffle with Glenn. The older man proceeded to throw his metal arm possessively over her shoulders and plant a loud kiss on her left cheek.

Carol was too taken aback to speak, managing only to turn her head and stare incredulously at the man with his arm wrapped around her. Sure, he had tried flirting with her when she tended to Daryl's stitches a week ago, but today was the first time the man had actually touched her. She hadn't wanted _that_ particular Dixon to start acting so familiar with her. She stood, frozen to the spot with her mouth hanging open in shock and her arms still wrapped across her stomach as she stared at the grinning man with his cold metal stub weighing down against her shoulders. He may have rendered her speechless with his actions, but her ears still worked just fine. And what she could hear was a distinct angry snarling sound coming from Daryl's direction. The noises he was making were something she had never heard from him before. They sounded animalistic. They sounded protective…almost possessive.

She had not wanted Merle to get physical with her. She was certain she hadn't done anything to invite his undivided attention like this. If anything, it was another Dixon that she wished had his arm draped over her now. Shaking herself slightly, she tried to get the image of Daryl's arm slung over her shoulder, of him curling her body in towards his own protective embrace out of her head. Just because Glenn and Carl had created this ridiculous rumour, didn't mean Carol should let herself get too carried away with her own thoughts that were unreciprocated by the Dixon she wanted. The shaking of her shoulders didn't seem to deter Merle though; he kept him arm firmly in place. Surprisingly, it wasn't as uncomfortable as Carol thought it would be. In fact, the way Merle's arm rested gently against her shoulders was almost brotherly.

She had expected a man like Merle Dixon to try and cop a feel in a position like this. If anything, aside from the uninvited contact to her cheek and shoulders, the man was acting like a total gentleman.

Today was a day filled with surprises it seemed.

Daryl didn't seem to think his brother was acting very gentlemanly though. The younger Dixon's fists were balled tight as they hug against his thighs. His entire stance was on edge, like he was ready to pounce at any given moment. The glare Daryl sent his brother was deadly.

"Get your goddamn hands off her," he growled.

Merle held up his good hand in a pacifying gesture as he continued to hold Carol loosely against his side. "Easy there little brother. I'm doing this for her benefit. Ya'll got an audience." Merle nodded his chin discreetly towards the far side of the exercise yard where Axel was hunched behind the thin basketball goalpost, watching the trio with barely disguised fascination. "Besides, if ya want to get technical, I ain't even got _one_ hand on her now," Merle waved his remaining hand at his brother. "Your pal Ricky saw to that."

"Ain't got nobody to blame but yourself for losin' your hand. You weren't so coked outta your mind that day in Atlanta _you_ wouldn't have been cuffed to a rooftop and left for dead, _you_ wouldn't of had to saw off your damned hand, and _you_ sure as shit would _still_ be able to drive a stick shift today." Daryl remained fixed to the spot, his fists still balled tightly against his thighs as he glared intensely at his brother.

It looked like Daryl was resisting the urge to punch his brother out with every ounce of self-control he possessed.

Merle leaned in closer to Carol, curling his stump slightly around her shoulders as he drew his mouth close to her ear. "Notice how he gets awful sore when I get touchy with you, Blue Eyes?" Merle whispered conspiratorially, as if he was imparting a deep secret to her. Angling his body away from hers, Merle cleared his throat before he addressed Daryl again.

"Come on now baby brother, we all gotta play our part," Merle said through tight lips. "Word in the yard is that dick-for-brains over there," he jerked his chin subtly across the yard towards Axel's skulking form, "ain't exactly buyin' the story Glenn's been tryin' to float 'round 'bout us and our little lady here." The muscles in Merle's arm tightened slightly against Carol's shoulder as he indicated the woman tucked against his side.

"She ain't your little lady Merle," Daryl hissed.

"Damn right I'm not your 'little lady' Merle," Carol chimed in, making air quoted with her fingers. "You ever stop and think I might not want to be manhandled by _you_?"

Merle turned his face, revealing a large knowing grin plastered on his face. He was genuinely amused with what she had just said. Racking her brain for the reason why the older man would be so amused, the truth struck her; she had said she didn't want to be manhandled by _him. _She didn't want to be manhandled by Merle. Looking into his still grinned face, Carol realized with horror her slip of the tongue. Problem was, Merle had realized exactly what she _hadn't_ said too. He knew he wasn't the Dixon she wanted with his arm wrapped around her. He had worked out she was harbouring feelings towards his brother. What the hell would a man like Merle Dixon do with that piece of information?

Oh God, what if Daryl had heard Carol's unspoken declaration too?

The still leering Merle raised his eyebrows at Carol, clearly enjoying the new information he was privy to. His normally cocky tone of voice was replaced with a more soothing, genuine tone as he moved closer to whisper in her ear again. "I know I ain't the Dixon ya were hoping for, but ya gotta work with me here. Sell it to the cheap seats in back," he pulled away from her, meeting her eyes and nodding his head subtly back towards the still spying Axel in the distance. He smiled at her salaciously, raising his voice from his previous whispered state, "We're one big happy hillbilly family up in here now after all."

"Yeah…" Carol looked at Merle carefully, "one big happy family who according to Glenn is screwing each other!"

"Well, if ya offering…" Merle winked at her.

"She ain't," Daryl growled.

Merle ignored his brother, instead concentrating solely on Carol. "You give any thought to switchin' Dixon's little lady? That Axel cat might start buyin' Chinaman's story if ya got a real man running this show." His arm tightened around her shoulders as he spoke. "My brother's wet behind the ears when it comes to women. Never had 'the talk' with him to explain what goes where. Fine piece of ass like you," Merle gestured towards Carol with his good hand, "needs a man with experience."

"From what I remember hearing Merle, didn't your experience include The Clap?" Carol asked sweetly, feigning innocence as she smiled brightly at the man still holding on to her. She couldn't help it; the snide comment had slipped out before she could catch herself.

Out of the corner of her eye, Carol swore she could see the edge of Daryl's mouth flick up in an ill-concealed smirk. His stance relaxed slightly, but she could tell the younger Dixon was still on edge.

Merle chuckled, his blue eyes raking up and down Carol's body slowly as he spoke. "No shame in that sweetheart. Comes with the territory. I had myself one hell of a party 'fore the world went to shit."

"And did you have to pay for that party Merle, or were the girls at the truck stop working pro bono that night?" she asked sarcastically.

Daryl was shaking with supressed laughter next to her as his head dropped down towards the ground. It was good to see him relax from his previous tightly wound state. Carol's sarcasm was having the opposite effect on Merle though; the older Dixon seemed to think she was flirting with him. The fact that he knew she wasn't interested in him like that didn't seem to deter Merle any though.

"You certainly got a mouth on you, don't ya darlin'?" The older Dixon paused as he sized her up, slowly licking his lips as he let his gaze wander lazily over her body. When Merle spoke again, his eyes had finally stopped their exploration of her body to land squarely on her lips. "Makes me wonder what else ya can do with that mouth." His leering grin grew wider as he raised his eyes to hers and wiggled his brows suggestively.

Daryl's head shot up instantly. The amused smirk was gone; the previous expression replaced with a deadly glare through narrowed eyes. "That's enough Merle. You aint' gotta act like an ass to sell Glenn's crazy story. Don't matter who's watching."

"Like I said brother, we all got out part to play here," Merle held up his good hand in surrender. "I'm just being a good boy and following Officer Friendly's orders here. Keepin' the myth of the Dixon brothers alive and all."

"You're trying to keep Axel away from Carol by pawing at her, that it?" Daryl asked, nodding his head towards his brother's stump draped across her shoulders. "That the_ part_ you're gonna play in this?"

Merle huffed in annoyance, drawing himself up to his full height. "Rick wants _all _the group protected, and ya'll ain't lettin' me fix the Axel problem my way, so I'm doing the next best thing with the options open to me."

Daryl scoffed loudly. "Carol ain't an option open to you Merle. I don't remember Rick ordering you to paw at her like some horny kid neither, but here you are, doing exactly what you want, same as always. You always do whatever the hell you want, just like when we was kids."

Merle eyed Daryl, his mouth setting in a hard line as he considered the other man's words.

"That a fact? Do what I want…is that what ya think brother?" Merle drawled, his fire-filled eyes locked with Daryl's. The older man's jaw tensed as he considered his brother's words. "Well, if ya think I always do what I want…" Merle dropped his arm from around Carol's shoulders and took one step away from her.

The air of tension that had been surrounding Daryl lifted the moment his brother stepped away from Carol. The woman released a breath she didn't even realize she'd been holding onto. As much as she wasn't threatened by Merle's actions, she still breathed easier now that his arm wasn't weighing down across her shoulders.

Merle stepped behind her, walking away from Daryl crossing to stand by Carol's other side. He then proceeded to slap Carol lightly across the ass with his left hand. The sound of his good hand smacking against her rear was sharp and surprisingly loud.

Carol was frozen to the spot with shock. No matter what she had previously thought about Merle Dixon, she DID NOT expect the man to do that to her after holding her against his body so gently.

"Been wantin' to do that since I saw her bendin' over ya checking ya stitches," Merle paused, letting his hand glide back to linger on her ass as he squeezed gently. "Just like I thought…firm as a Georgia peach." Merle's grin directed squarely at his brother was enormous. The older Dixon looked like the cat who got the cream _and _the canary.

"MOTHERFUCKER!" Daryl yelled as he grabbed Merle around the waist, flinging the older man away from Carol and back towards the centre of the exercise yard.

It had all happened so quickly, Carol didn't have time to react. She reached out and gingerly rubbed the smarting pain that was fading across her rear. Truth be told, Merle hadn't actually hit her that hard. Ed had done a thousand times worse without even breaking a sweat. The manner in which Merle had hit her was confusing. He'd had his chance to grope her the entire time he'd been standing with his arm wrapped around her, saying it was for Axel's benefit. Why did he decide to slap her like that only after Daryl said something?

Daryl and Merle tumbled in the dirt of the exercise yard, a mess of flailing limbs and cuss words. The group which had assembled to watch the previous fight returned their collective attention back towards the centre of the yard as they watched the latest action unfold. In the space of ten seconds, the brawl between the Dixon brothers had escalated much further than the previous match between Glenn and Merle. Despite Merle brandishing a barbell before, there was no denying that the Dixon brothers fought with no holds barred. Daryl looked like he was out for blood. And there was blood starting to spray across the yard from both men.

The sight of the Two Dixon brothers fighting was enthralling. They moved almost as one. It was hard to tell who was throwing which punch. Wasn't that surprising really; they had been raised together, so of course the two men would know better than anyone else how the other moved in the fight. Carol couldn't help but think that if the two men were paired together fighting against the same foe they would be absolutely unstoppable. Carol was barely aware of Maggie and Michonne coming to stand alongside her as she stood transfixed by the sight of the squabbling men.

"Kinda like watching two monkeys fight over the last banana at the zoo, ain't it?" Maggie commented dryly as she watched the two men wrestling on the ground. The sounds of their grunts and groans permeated the hot air. The brunette turned, shielding her eyes from the harsh Georgian sun as she looked at Carol. "Guess that makes you the banana."

Carol shot a heated glare at the woman standing next to her; she didn't trust herself to actually speak to Maggie yet. No telling what was going to come out of Carol's mouth if she did. Daryl and Merle, fighting over her like she was the last woman on the face of the Earth…what the hell was wrong with Maggie? Maggie should have known better than to think that Daryl held anything more for Carol than simply friendship.

"I wouldn't say monkeys," Michonne said, tilting her head to the side as she watched Daryl catch Merle in a tight headlock. "Looks more like WWE if you ask me."

Carol chuckled lightly, her annoyance at the older Greene girl ebbing away at Michonne's comment. "I guess Glenn's finishing move with the chair before was more wrestling than ninja."

"WWE is definitely better," Michonne took a breath, letting it out slowly as she continued to watch the two men rolling across the yard. "Glenn should have tagged me in when he had the chance."

Carol and Maggie both burst out laughing at Michonne's words. The strong woman didn't speak much, preferring to remain stoic and largely a mystery to the rest of the group. Carol glanced across at the woman, expecting her face to be alight with mirth. Instead, Michonne's profile was the epitome of seriousness. As if feeling someone else's eyes on her, Michonne turned to face the two woman laughing at her comment.

"What?" she asked without a trace of amusement in her voice. The menacing woman drew her ever-present katana from its sheaf on her back, admiring the weapon as she seemingly spoke to the blade. "I still got a score to settle with Merle."

The laughter dropped instantly between Maggie and Carol at hearing the seriousness of the other woman's tone.

"I don't think Daryl would take too kindly to you killin' his brother," Carol advised as she kept her eyes fixed on the eerily calm woman holding the sword. Merle was an ass, but Carol did not want this woman harming that man in any way. It would cause Daryl too much pain to lose his brother again after only just finding him.

"Pity," Michonne sighed with regret as she took one final longing look the two Dixon boys before her. She weighed the blade in her hands again, like a mother would bounce a baby in her arms. "Think I'll walk the fence for a while. See what else out there I can kill." The quiet woman turned away and headed straight for the chain fence on the other side of the yard.

Carol shook her head as she watched Michonne stalk off. "Merle better watch himself with that one."

"Yeah," Maggie agreed. "I've been spendin' a lot of time with Michonne since she helped save me and Glenn, and let me tell you, that woman can hold a grudge. One of these days Merle's gonna find himself skewered on the end of her blade like a cocktail weenie on a toothpick."

Carol huffed her agreement. She never thought the day would come where she'd be concerned for Merle's safety.

"So…" Maggie snickered as she turned to face Carol, bumping her hip against the other woman's in a playful manner, "what are your _boyfriends_ fightin' about today?"

"Not you too Maggie!" Carol sighed. She was getting fed up with Glenn's ridiculous story and it's repercussions on her. "I am not the last banana and the Dixon brothers are certainly not fighting over me. This stupid story Glenn created has brought me nothing but grief!"

"Oh…I wouldn't say it bought you nothin'. Looks to me like you got two men squabblin' over ya."

What was with everyone lately? Treating her, Daryl and Merle like they were contestants on 'The Dating Game' or something? Did they all really have nothing better to do than sit back and speculate the relationship status between the three of them? Glenn's heart may have been in the right place when he created this lie to tell Axel, but this was getting embarrassing now.

Maggie folded her arms as she fixed her attention back on the still wrestling brothers. "If you ask me, two grown ass men fightin' over you is sexy as all hell."

"Maggie!" Carol chided. She could not believe the young woman next to her had just said that. But as soon as the words left the younger woman's mouth, Carol couldn't help but watch the duelling brothers in a new light. She tilted her head to the side slightly as she savoured the idea of the two Dixon brothers both wanting her. She'd never had one man fight for her, let alone two. She shook her head, trying to banish the thought as soon as it had appeared. She didn't want _both_ Dixon brothers.

"They're not fighting over me," Carol said, but her voice lacked the conviction of her words.

"Seriously, what are the arguing over?" Maggie pressed.

"Merle grabbed my ass," Carol admitted sheepishly after watching the boys tumble in the dirt. She could feel her cheeks burning scarlet with her confession.

Maggie chuckled lightly. "Figured it be something like that, seein' as the way Daryl flew off the handle."

"They're just…brothers. Brothers fight all the time; they don't need a reason. You put two grown brothers together and guaranteed they'll start squabbling like three year olds not willing to share the same toy truck."

"Not like that they don't," scoffed Maggie quietly. The younger woman turned her attention away from the scuffle to watch Carol. "Truck…banana, it's all the same thing."

Carol shot Maggie an exhausted look.

"Okay, okay," Maggie held up her hands in surrender stepping slightly away from the other woman as she did so. "But, let's just say they were fighting over you…who would you want to win?"

"What?" Carol squeaked with surprise.

"It's a harmless question Carol," Maggie nodded towards the Dixon brothers. Both were standing still, facing each other as their chests rose and fell in unison. "Who would you want to win?"

Carol kept her eyes focused on the two men standing before her. She noticed that blood was dripping from Merle's mouth as he spit a red glob of it to the ground. Daryl's back was facing her; she couldn't see the extent of his injuries. "This is stupid, really."

"_Really,_ Carol. If they were fighting for your hand, who would you want to win?"

A giggle escaped her lips before she could control it. Fighting for her hand…was Maggie serious? This wasn't the middle ages and the Dixon brothers certainly weren't two battling knights looking to win the fair young maiden. Carol's hand drifted unconsciously to touch her short greying hair. It had been years since she had been anything close to resembling a young maiden.

Carol sighed as she watched two locked in a standoff. "Merle Dixon's an ass," she simply stated. That should answer Maggie's hounding question. It was the Dixon she didn't name that meant to most to her. But that answer wasn't enough to pacify the oldest Greene daughter.

"So…you'd what Daryl to win, right?"

"What makes you think I'd want to go to either of them like some prize from a cereal box?"

"Come on Carol, play along. It's a hot day and there ain't a whole lot else to do 'round here. Can't we have a little fun while those two beat the crap outta each other?"

The older woman paused, her eye's trained on the two men standing in the centre of the yard. "If they were fighting over me…I certainly wouldn't want to go to Merle, that's for sure," she answered quietly, ashamed to have admitted to Maggie the truth in her heart.

"Are you callin' Daryl the lesser of two evils?" the older Greene daughter asked.

"Daryl's not evil in any way. He's a good man, the best I've ever known in fact. Merle's not even in the same league as Daryl."

"So, you would want Daryl to win," Maggie clarified. She seemed determined to get a straight answer out of Carol that was for damned sure.

"I'd pick Daryl," Carol muttered softly, her cheeks flaming as she spoke. She really hoped no-one else managed to hear her confession.

Maggie grinned wildly at the woman standing next to her. "Good enough for me." Maggie turned away from Carol, facing towards the still sparing brothers. "Hey boys, WINNER GETS CAROL!"

"WHAT?" Daryl, distracted by Maggie's cry, turned away from Merle, a look of sheer confusion and paralysing fear on his sweaty face.

Merle, seizing his advantage while his brother was momentarily distracted, landed a heavy punch against Daryl's stomach, instantly dropping the younger man to the ground. Carol watched with horror as Daryl landed with a thud on the asphalt, curling into a protective foetal position as his body made contact with ground. Merle raised his metal stump high above his head as he rested his foot on Daryl's torso.

"Guess that makes Carol mine!" Merle grinned wickedly as he winked towards the woman in question.

"Glenn _really_ should have tagged me in when he had the chance," Michonne muttered quietly as she swept past Maggie and Carol, heading for her second pass of the perimeter fence. The warrior's katana was already covered with dark walker blood.

Apparently she had found something else to quench her bloodthirsty feelings instead of killing Merle.

Daryl suddenly rolled out from under Merle's foot, sending the older man crashing down to the ground to join his brother. The two men continued to throw punch after punch as they rolled around on the ground together.

"You know," Maggie started, "as much as I can't stand Merle, I think he'll win the fight. I never let Beth beat me when we were fightin'. The baby of the family never wins," she said as she watched the two men now on the ground.

"Daryl's strong." Carol wasn't just talking about the man's physical strength.

"I ain't doubtin' that. But Merle, he's crazier than a cut rattlesnake. As much as I hate to say it, I think Merle's gonna win." The young woman shook herself violently as soon as the words left her mouth. "God, I feel wrong just thinkin' that, let alone sayin' it."

Carol couldn't help but chuckle at the younger woman's physical response. "You should feel wrong. You just said you're rooting for Merle Dixon to win…against Daryl. You should take the Vegas odds on that happening!"

"Vegas odds…" Maggie murmured quietly to herself. She kept her gaze on the fight, watching brothers battle each other. Her eyes narrowed, as if she was struck with an incredible idea. "We should make this a little more interesting."

"What? You don't find the prospect of Merle and Daryl beating each other to a bloody pulp interesting enough?" Carol asked sarcastically.

"Oh, it's plenty interesting, don't get me wrong," Maggie started, her eyes never leaving the fight. "I'm just thinkin' of a way to spice it up for us. I mean, besides you getting the winner to do with as you please and all."

If it had been anyone else involved in a fight like what was going on between Daryl and Merle, someone would have stepped in to break it up already. But it seemed that none of the group assembled was stupid enough to get in the middle of a Dixon brawl, let alone brave enough to try and break it up. Maggie and Carol continued to watch the brothers as they rolled about on the ground, the occassional obsenity punctuating the still air of the afternoon.

"I was thinking more along the lines of a bet," Maggie gazed at the still wrestling men as she spoke.

"A bet?" Carol echoed. "What's the point in even betting? It's not like we have anything to bet with."

Maggie looked slyly at Carol from the corner of her eye. "I don't know…I got a full box of condoms lying 'round. I'm willing to bet those."

"Condoms? What would I do with condoms?"

"Oh, the usual thing I expect," Maggie drawled as she continued to watch the fight. The younger woman turned to face Carol again. "You ain't that far over the hill that you expect me to believe you don't know what to do with a box of condoms? You could share the prize with Daryl, when he wins that is," the younger woman grinned suggestively at her friend.

"It's not like that Maggie," Carol argued as she shook her head. "We're just friends."

"Friends…yeah, sure. Just like me and Glenn are just friends too."

Carol scoffed. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Despite what rumours are going around here, there is nothing going on between me and Daryl," Carol sighed with regret. _'Not that I don't want it to,' _she added silently.

"Just friends? Who you tryin' to fool?" Maggie levelled a poignant look at Carol. "Rick's my friend. I'm pretty sure that if Merle grabbed my ass Rick wouldn't try and beat the shit out of him for doin' it. The way Daryl reacted to Merle smackin' you, it's how Glenn would react if some guy put his hands on me. Daryl's protectin' his woman, he just don't realize that fact yet is all. Trust me Carol, _you're_ gonna need those condoms sooner rather than later."

It couldn't be true, could it? Carol usually wouldn't entertain the thought, but now that the seed was planted she couldn't seem to stop the damn thing from growing. There was no way a man like Daryl Dixon thought about her like that. She was just old Carol after all. The one who did the cooking and the cleaning for the group. There wasn't many options left alive at this point in time, but she was certain that he didn't think of her like that. _Like how she thought of him_. No, there was no way what Maggie was saying was true. Daryl was her friend and he looked out for her, same as he did for the rest of the group. That's all it was. She wouldn't let herself think that a man like Daryl would be interested in her. Thinking like that would set her up for a painful fall later on when she found out he wasn't.

The sounds of the combined grunts and groans coming from the two Dixon brothers brought Carol's attention back to the fight. Both men were upright now, both facing her, but Daryl was being held up by his brother. It wasn't that Daryl needed the help standing; the older man had him pinned hard with no means of escape. Merle was standing with his arms locked behind Daryl's head, leaving the arms of his younger brother sticking straight out. Carol vaguely remembered the hold was called a full nelson.

"Ya gonna say uncle boy?" Merle demanded with grunt as he held onto his struggling brother.

"You first," Daryl puffed as he tried to free himself from the hold.

Merle barked a laugh at his brother's pointless attempt at freedom. "You remember when we was kids…how I made ya eat dirt whenever we had a fight? Ya keep this shit up and you'll be tastin' the ground again son."

"Not today," Daryl growled as he reached behind Merle's head, grasping the older brother's ear cruelly in his hand. Merle yowled in pain, instantly dropping his hold on Daryl and freeing his brother in the process. Daryl spun around quickly, facing the other man. As Merle clutched his injured ear, Daryl punched him square in the jaw, dropping the other man to the ground with one single blow. The younger Dixon swooped down, clutching something in his clenched hand. Carol watched with amusement as Daryl threw a fistful of dirt in his brother's face.

"I ain't a kid no more, and I sure as shit ain't the one eatin' dirt now asshole."

The fight was over. Second time today Merle Dixon had lost two fights. Must be some kind of world record.

"I guess that makes you my hero," Carol giggled nervously as Daryl walked back towards her and Maggie. She couldn't help but notice the faint trace of a blush making its way onto his face at her teasing.

Daryl dipped his head, refusing to meet her gaze as he came to a stop next to her. The smallest touch of a smirk was gracing his mouth. "No way in hell I was lettin' Merle win. He'd take what Maggie said seriously and had have moved his shit into your cell before you could even blink." His voice was gruff as he spoke, but from what she could see of his hidden face, Carol could swear Daryl looked almost proud of himself.

"So you saved me from Merle's horny hands…well, _hand_," she chuckled lightly. "Whatever would I do without you here to protect me?"

Glenn jogged across the yard to them, his arm wrapped heavily around his still fractured ribs. He joined the small group and curled his other his arm securely around Maggie's waist. "Um guys…Axel's watching you," he whispered quickly. Glenn tightened his hold on Maggie, setting his sights on the man in question. "He hasn't taken his eyes off Carol this whole time."

Daryl's head snapped up as soon as he heard Glenn speak. Both the smirk and the blush were gone. Three set of eyes automatically searched for Axel. The inmate was still hunched over in hiding on the far side of the yard, using without success to remain inconspicuous behind the thin metal frame of the basketball goalpost. The man was stupid to think a thin metal post would hide him from anyone's view. All he was missing was a huge neon sign hanging directly over his head reading 'Creepy Stalker Available for Hire'.

"Daryl, you gonna take your prize now?" asked Maggie, turning her attention away from the skulking inmate and directing a knowing smile at the younger Dixon.

"Prize?" questioned Daryl, completely bewildered. "What the hell are you babbling 'bout Maggie?"

"You won against Merle fair and square. Like I said, winner gets Carol. You won. To the victor goes the spoils."

"You saying I'm the spoils of war?" Carol asked incredulously. She could not believe Maggie was pushing the matter over a stupid joke. The younger woman should know better by now than to tease Daryl like that.

Maggie thought about it shortly. "In this situation…yes, definitely."

"Think I would have preferred being won in the poker game," sighed Carol, thinking back to her earlier conversation when Glenn.

Maggie smiled evilly at Carol before nudging her forcefully, propelling the other woman further towards Daryl. Losing her footing with the sudden push, Carol tripped over herself, landing with a thud against Daryl's already open arms. It seemed Daryl's reflexes were perfectly fine, even if his mind hadn't caught onto Maggie's train of thought yet.

Daryl looked down at the woman in his arms. "You alright?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

Carol's eyes searched his face. For a moment, she felt like she was sixteen again and the cutest boy in school had spoken to her for the first time. "I'm fine," she breathed, finally finding her voice.

"You're fuckin' serious?" Daryl sounded petrified as he glared at Maggie.

The brunette folded her arms across her chest and steeled her stance. "Damn right I'm serious. This here's the perfect time to prove to Axel that somethin's goin' on between you and Carol. As far as Axel know, you just beat up your brother so he wouldn't get Carol. You should kiss her…seal the deal." Maggie smirked at the intimidating man standing across from her. "Come on, you're already holdin' her in your arms."

"Go on Daryl, kiss her!" chimed in Glenn with a wicked grin. "It'd show Axel that Carol's spoke-"

The words died on Glenn's lips as Daryl levelled an angry glare at the younger man. It seemed that Daryl had no trouble threatening Glenn, but when it came to Maggie the redneck wasn't fool enough to cross her.

"Oh, for Pete's sake!" Carol sighed. This was going nowhere fast. Maggie wouldn't let up on her relentless desire to push Carol and Daryl together, and Carol knew Daryl wouldn't do something like kiss her just to appease the young woman.

Rising slightly on her toes, Carol reached up and placed a small, chaste kiss against Daryl's cheek. Like the first time she had kissed him on the Greene farm, he bristled at the contact as her lips met his skin.

For someone who was a hunter by nature, Daryl was now frozen like a deer in the headlights. Completely paralyzed. Even his breathing had stopped.

"Sorry," she whispered in his ear. "Maggie's like a dog with a bone when she gets an idea in her head."

The whoosh of air leaving Daryl's lungs was hot against her face. Pulling back slightly, Carol watched as he nodded, motioning his understanding of her action. She didn't want him to think she was trying to make a move on him in the middle of the exercise yard while their entire group sat back and enjoyed the show.

"That's all ya got for my brother after I let him win?" Merle had regained his bearings and joined the small group. He wore a cocky grin on his face as he winked at Carol. "You sure are a hard woman to please."

Glenn shook his head in frustration. "Merle…man, just do us all a favour and shut up would you."

Daryl released his hold on Carol, dropping his arms from her and taking a step away. He absently started scratching at his side. The action didn't escape Carol's observing eye as she dropped back to her normal height. It was the same side with his current stitches. She would remember, she put them there after all.

"How are the stitches holding up?" she asked with concern.

Daryl huffed in annoyance as he continued scratching at his side. "Think I tore some again."

"Again?" Carol chided softly. She took a deep breath and reached down for his hand, clasping it lightly in her own. "Come on back inside. I'll take another look at it." She started to lead Daryl back inside the prison. She would need the first aid kit from inside if she was going to re-apply any stitches.

"What about me? I'm in desperate need of medical attention here!" Merle cried out, wiping his bloodied and dirty face clean with the edge of his shirt. The older man spat on the ground; the blood was a deep crimson, obviously fresh and still freely flowing. He looked at Carol pleading, trying to pull on her heartstrings with his puppy dog expression.

Carol fixed a hard look at the older Dixon brother. "Like I told you before Merle, there ain't enough medication left in the world to treat what's wrong with you." Without another word Carol turned on her heel and continued to lead Daryl back inside the prison.

"Hey little brother!" Merle yelled across the yard as Carol and Daryl were poised to walk through the prison doorway into 'C' Block. "When ya done with her I'll gladly take her back!"

A sharp slapping sound echoed throughout the yard. By the time Carol had turned around, all she could see was Merle rubbing the back of his bowed head glaring daggers sideways at the person standing closest to him. Maggie. The older Greene daughter was staring straight ahead, but Carol could see the girl was struggling to contain a smile from bursting forth as she waved enthusiastically to her and Daryl.

Out of the corner of her eye, Carol caught Daryl flipping Merle off with his free hand as they passed through the doorway to the cool confines that their current home offered.

It wasn't til much later that Carol realized Daryl had let her hold his hand the entire way back into the prison. The action would have been purely for Merle or Axel's benefit, she was sure of that. She knew there was no way Daryl was holding her hand just because he wanted to.

A man like Daryl Dixon protected his family no matter what, even if that protection included pretending to his own horny brother that something was going on between him and herself.

Why was it that all the wrong men were interested in her? It was a complete joke. Glenn's entire story was turning Carol's life into something like a very bad online dating service experience.

**Another horrendously long A/N: Firstly, I must apologize for the delay in getting this next chapter to you all. The truth of the matter is both multi-layered and completely simplistic. I can't write quickly. Wow, that sounded very simple now that I've typed the words, but stay with me here; we'll reach the point eventually. I envy those who can sit down and churn out an amazing 2000 words in an hour, but I can't do it. My brain is all over the place. I don't know if any of you do this, but I can't write consecutively. I write the middle, a few lines from the start pop into my head…I go three days without any inspiration whatsoever, then I hear a two minute conversation in my head that belongs in the chapter somewhere, but I have to work out exactly where it goes. Then Merle's voice gets thrown into the mix begging for some attention and as you all know, you can't stop Merle from doing whatever the hell he wants. And now, since I've found his voice bouncing around in my head, the cocky bastard won't shut the hell up. Draining doesn't begin to cover this experience. As you can see, this is confusing as all hell.**

**Plus, I get really distracted by shiny things…sparkly things…insects travelling across the floor at an agonising slow pace…the sky…**

**Also, due to the slight demand, 'Lefty and the Korean' had been turned into an AU fic (it was the title of the fictional 80's good cop/bad cop sitcom starring Merle and Glenn that Daryl thought of in Chapter 8.) It's starting slow, but pretty soon Merle and Glenn will get themselves into all sorts of good cop/bad cop situations each week. I'm trying to write that one on my lunch breaks at work, while I work on 'Idle Threats' in the evenings. Let's see how that grand plan works out.**

**Secondly, thanks for all the amazing reviews. I really do appreciate each and every one. I'm hoping you're all still enjoying the ride! Hopefully this little carjacking with a detour into crazy town hasn't dampened your interest ;)**


	10. Chapter 10

What the hell was wrong with him today?

Daryl Dixon was a strong man; a real tough son-of-a-bitch. He'd had to be to survive the torments his daddy inflicted on him when he was a child. He'd grown a thick skin both metaphorically and literally while living with that monster.

The younger Dixon could gut a deer or kill a walker within the blink of an eye, but as soon as Carol grabbed his hand all his survival instincts when out the window and he lost the ability to think for himself. Shit, he barely remembered to breathe when she grabbed hold of him like that. He kept his head down and focused on watching his feet as she led him like a well-trained dog following its master. When Merle had yelled that he'd take Carol when Daryl was done with her, the younger Dixon's ability to think momentarily returned and he managed to give his brother the finger while he glared daggers at tactless asshole.

No way in hell was Daryl letting Merle get anywhere near Carol, not after the shit his brother had just pulled grabbing her ass like that.

Oh God, Merle would never let Daryl live this down. _'Ya gonna let her lead ya 'round by the balls all day like that baby brother?'_ Daryl could just imagine Merle taunting him for acting like such a damn pussy.

Why the hell did he just let Carol hold his hand like that while she led him back into the prison? He was willing to do whatever it took to keep Axel and Merle away from Carol, but for the life of him Daryl couldn't understand why he had kept holding her hand when he knew no-one else was watching. He'd been so distracted by the feel of her soft hand in his rough one that he didn't realize he'd kept his palm in hers even once they were away from everyone else's prying eyes. It hadn't occurred to him to drop her hand when they were out of sight. He knew the curious looks the rest of the group would be giving him and her later on. They were getting enough looks now thanks to Glenn's 'myth of the Dixon bothers' tale that was flying around.

It wasn't like it was the first time people would be gossiping 'bout a Dixon. His whole life Daryl had heard nothing but bad things attached to his family name. But the thought of people talking that way about Carol like that just bothered him. He could deal with whatever shit was said about him, but he didn't want to hear anyone speaking that way about her. She had dealt with enough shit in her life, she deserved better now. She deserved a reward for the hell she'd managed to survive.

A good woman like her deserved better than the shame that came with being associated with a Dixon. _She_ deserved better than a Dixon. And now, thanks to Glenn and his stupid story, Carol was more or less a Dixon.

The hits just kept on coming it seemed.

Merle must have hit Daryl pretty hard when they were fighting. Damn one-handed bastard had managed to get in a few decent hits when they'd fought and Daryl was sure the asshole had scrambled his brain during the tussle. The younger Dixon probably had a concussion thanks to his brother. Brain damage was the only explanation Daryl could think of for why he'd let Carol lead him around by the hand like some love-struck kid. God, he couldn't believe what a pussy he was turning into since he and Merle had been rescued from Woodbury. The way she had just grabbed his hand and pulled him along behind her made him feel like he was completely whipped.

Must be what Glenn felt like daily. Maggie had that boy trained like he was her own pet poodle or something. That boy came running whenever Maggie called and fetched whatever the hell she asked for when they went on a run.

Sit.

Stay.

Fetch.

Yep, Maggie definitely had all the commands covered. And Glenn's reward for being such a good boy was sex. Well…Daryl assumed it was sex, judging from the sounds that he'd heard coming from the watch tower whenever Glenn and Maggie were posted up there together. The Korean kid was pussy-whipped in the worst possible way. Hell, once Daryl had even witnessed Maggie sticking out her bottom lip and begging Glenn to go get something for her one day. Glenn had shaken his head no to whatever she had requested. Daryl had watched with fascination as the older Greene daughter leant over and whispered something softly into the Korean man's ear. The kid had straightened suddenly at Maggie's words and bolted out of the room. Didn't take Glenn ten minutes to find whatever the hell she wanted.

Daryl couldn't help but wonder what the hell was so wrong with Maggie's legs that she couldn't get up her damn self and find whatever she wanted. He was pretty sure that girl had Glenn so well trained that is she threw a stick her man would chase after it without question, returning to his master with the stick held proudly in his mouth as he begged for praise at being a good boy.

Next time he went out on a run, Daryl would make it a point to pick up a nice collar for Glenn. Maybe something pink and sparkly. After all, every dog needed a collar.

Daryl never wanted to be whipped like that. He was a free man and no way would he let a woman have that sort of control over him. Didn't matter what they were promising in return. But now, letting Carol hold his hand and lead him wherever the hell she wanted, he found he couldn't help but act like a little bitch.

Shit, if he kept this routine up he'd be Carol's own personal poodle before the day was out.

He'd gone from kicking his brother's ass to following Carol around like a lost puppy. Daryl must have lost his spine somehow during the fight. It was that or the brain damage. Either way, Daryl was pretty sure whatever was going on now was directly Merle's fault. If his asshole of a brother hadn't of grabbed at Carol like that Daryl wouldn't be behaving like this now.

God, he wanted to kick his own ass right now. But the feel of her hand wrapped around his was proving to be a bigger distraction than he thought possible. As much as he couldn't believe what he was doing, Daryl found that he actually liked the feel of Carol's tiny hand in his. It felt comforting. And touch wasn't something that Daryl usually associated with comfort.

He hadn't meant for it to happen. Lord knew he would never grab Carol's hand like she had his. Why the woman spent so much time and energy on him in the first place was a mystery to him. Carol seemed to have infinite patience for him for some unknown reason. Whether it was his temper getting the best of him back at the Greene farm, or the fact that he kept undoing all the work she had done with his stitches, she didn't give up on him. She _wouldn't_ give up on him. And now, that infinite patience of hers had been rewarded with her having complete control over his motor functions. He had just followed her blindly as she dragged him alone in her wake, content to feel the weight of her soft hand enclosed within his calloused one as he let her lead wherever they were going.

He wasn't one for holding hands normally. He didn't even know how to hold a girl's hand properly. It confused the hell out of him why he let her do that in the first place, but as soon as she dropped his hand he found he missed the warm of her skin against his.

For a fleeting second, Daryl considered reaching back to reclaim Carol's hand as she moved away from him. To stop her in her tracks and keep her close by. But Dixon men didn't do weak shit like that. He had let his hand drop heavily to his side, not knowing what to do with it now that she was gone.

The other thing stopping him from reaching to reclaim her hand was the heat now burning a path across his knuckles. His hand was aching something fierce. He hadn't noticed the pain until Carol's distracting touch was gone. Daryl was sure the feeling of fire dancing across his right hand had nothing to do with the loss of the woman's hand though. Well…he was pretty sure at least. Looking down, he found the cause of the fire. The knuckles of his right hand were a mess. The skin had been scraped away to leave a red raw jumble of flesh and blood staining the dirty skin. Wasn't that surprising really; whenever he and Merle used to get into it they'd both be left bloody and battered. But today was the first time ever Daryl hadn't noticed the pain until well after the fight had ended.

He'd been too preoccupied by the sensation of skin touching skin that he hadn't even realized Carol had led him through the maze of the prison to finish up at his perch. Shit, he was so out of it he didn't even remember climbing the stairs to get there in the first place! Lately, he found himself getting too distracted where Carol was concerned. If he didn't keep his head in the game someone was gonna end up dead.

But it wouldn't be an issue if the person who turned up dead was Axel. The creepy-ass bastard was still hanging 'round Carol and he hadn't taken the damn hint that she was off limits. Idiot didn't even taken notice of the little conversation he and Daryl had a week ago. If the inmate was smart, he would have packed up his shit and gotten the hell out of dodge as soon as Daryl threw him down on his ass. But Axel wasn't that smart.

Damn hippy-looking bastard was a glutton for punishment apparently.

The only benefit Daryl could see in Axel staying around was that left more opportunities for distributing an ass kicking to the inmate. And the way Axel had been watching Carol like a hawk out there in the exercise yard, the idiot was clearly begging for his ass to be kicked. The guy just didn't know when to quit. Axel kept this shit up he was going to definitely find himself on the receiving end of a bolt. Only thing was, Daryl hadn't decided whether that bolt was going to be aimed at the other man's ass or head. But Rick had vetoed Merle's idea to kill Axel. The more Daryl thought about it, the more he realized Rick's veto was a damn shame.

Daryl had never killed a man in cold blood before, but if that jackass ever laid one hand on Carol…

He didn't even want to _think_ about the possibility that something could happen to her. Not that he wanted to risk any of the other members of his new family, but Carol was…different. He knew she could protect herself. She'd proven that fact numerous times over the past winter. He had almost lost her so many times already, he was sure her nine lives were starting to run out. And once they run out it weren't like she could go and get more on credit. Walkers, his brother, the Governor and now this Axel asshole. Daryl had a full time job keeping shit from hitting the fan while she was around.

The woman was a magnet for disaster.

That woman was now loudly rifling thought her cell, presumably searching for the first aid kit. The sound of her rustling about brought Daryl out of his deep thoughts. This many thoughts whirling around a man's head got exhausting.

Daryl dropped down heavily on his knees to land on the mattress below. The thin foam did barely anything to cushion him from the impact of his knees colliding with the hard metal floor underneath. Arranging himself into a more comfortable position resting his elbows on his now throbbing knees, he looked over at Carol's cell. The woman was completely caught up in the search for the elusive medical supplies she needed to patch his stitches. Remembering why she had led him back into the prison in the first place, he tentatively gazed his fingers across the still-healing wound in his side. Drawing his hand back, he saw there was fresh blood on his fingertips. Well, more fresh than the blood on his knuckles anyway. Lifting his shirt, he twisted his neck to get a look at the damage done.

Didn't look that bad. Just a light stream of blood was trickling from the re-opened wound. Could have been worse though. His entire childhood had been littered with very painful injuries. Had his daddy been responsible for the damage done instead of his brother today Daryl would have had multiple broken ribs, his back torn to shreds and a busted jaw too. Daryl had definitely had worse before. He was having trouble focusing on the healing bullet wound in his side though. Felt like only one eye was seeing things. Reaching that same bloodied hand up, Daryl touched the skin surrounding his left eye. The pain that ebbed from the touch confirmed his suspicions.

Merle had given his baby brother one hell of a black eye. It wouldn't look like much yet, but guaranteed tomorrow when Daryl woke up he'd have a real shiner. Anytime Merle had gotten a black eye in a fight he had worn the bruise like a badge of honour. He once told Daryl that nothing got ya laid faster than flashin' war injuries at a woman.

_'Typical Merle,'_ Daryl thought to himself with a smirk. _'Always trying to get lucky.'_

Shit, what if Merle only started that fight so the one-handed bastard would have some injuries of his own to flash at Carol? The amused smirk instantly dropped from Daryl's face to be replaced by a cold sweat that quickly overtook his entire body. The icy fingers of panic threading its way through his brain, down his spine to finish all the way at his toes. The last time Daryl had felt this degree of panic was when he found Merle's severed right hand on that rooftop in Atlanta. That day he had felt the pain of his brother slipping away from him, like Carol would slip away if she fell for Merle's charms.

He wouldn't put it past his brother to try and put the moves on Carol using a sympathy vote. Merle could be a smooth talking, underhanded son-of-a-bitch when he put his mind to it. And his horny mind had always been looking for the next high or fresh skirt to chase.

The brothers had always had each other's backs before. Since Daryl's birth, it had been the Dixon brothers against the world. They stood together or not at all. They'd always bickered and sniped at each other as brothers did, but they'd never fought over a woman before. There was no fucking way Daryl was going to let Merle try those old moves on Carol. She damned well deserved better than what a Dixon had to offer, especially his good-for-nothing brother.

The injury on his side was really starting to itch. Tearing stitches out was always uncomfortable business, and the process to re-apply them weren't too pleasant neither. But Daryl was happy he'd fought Merle. It was worth whatever price he had to pay just to keep Merle's hand's off of Carol.

Well…hand. By the man's own admission he couldn't put two hands on nobody no more.

Just the memory of Merle standing there with his arms around Carol's shoulder was causing Daryl's heart to start racing. And Carol had done nothing to make the bastard remove it. Maybe she was interested in Merle after all. Why else wouldn't she had told him to go to hell as soon as he touched her? Sure she'd been a smart-ass to the older Dixon, but maybe she'd been flirting with him.

Daryl groaned as the thought of his brother and Carol together swirled around his mind. Try as he might, he couldn't shake the idea that Merle had started the fight as a way to try and get into Carol's pants.

This day was going down the drain real quick. At least Carol hadn't grabbed Merle's hand earlier; she'd grabbed Daryl's. The only good thing to happen today had been Carol holding his hand.

What the fuck?! Where had that come from? Daryl couldn't believe the though had even popped into his head. Dixon's DID NOT go for pussy shit like holding hands.

Thinking too much was exhausting. The adrenaline Daryl had felt from the fight earlier was waning and he was now struggling to keep his eyelids open. The desire to fall asleep and leave the confusing thoughts of Carol and his brother behind sounded extremely tempting. Leaning back, Daryl let himself collapse onto mattresses. Reaching into his nearby pack, he searched blindly for a moment for something to help calm his exhausted mind.

Finally hitting pay dirt, his fingers wrapped around the beat up pack of smokes he'd stashed there weeks ago. Considering they were holed up at a prison, you'd think there'd be cartons of smokes lying around for the taking. This must have been the only prison in the world that hadn't used cigarettes as a form of currency.

Cigarettes were hard to come by now, but Daryl had found the pack on a run weeks ago and he was saving them. He couldn't run out to the corner store now to just pick up another carton when he was out anymore. So he stashed smokes when he found them. He figured he deserved a cigarette once in a while. Helped to take the edge off in this shithole of a world if nothing else. And if didn't deserve a smoke after kicking Merle's ass for the first time ever in his life, Daryl didn't know when he did deserve it.

Lighting the cylinder, Daryl felt the smooth, familiar smoke fill his lungs as he inhaled deeply. He lazily blew a smoke ring, watching with detached fascination as the wispy 'O' floated upwards toward the prison ceiling. The small hazy ring disintegrated into nothing the higher it rose. Closing his eyes, he savoured the comforting repetition of inhaling and exhaling as the cigarette dangled loosely against his lips.

God, he had missed smoking.

"Do you really think that's a good idea right now?" Carol's disapproving voice broke through the smoky haze flooding his now relaxed mind.

Daryl cracked his good eye open to find her towering over him with a frown fixed on her face. It was clear she hadn't been a smoker before the world went to hell. Anyone who appreciated the relaxation a cigarette could bring would not have asked that question. He plucked the offending item from his mouth and tapped the spent ash on the ground next to his bed.

"It's as good idea as any," he answered with a casual shrug of his shoulders, returning the smouldering rolled paper to his lips.

Carol made a disapproving sound in the back of her throat as she glared down towards him. "I refuse to check your stitches while you're smoking."

"Don't need to check 'em. I can tell you right now they're busted." He held up his bloody hand as proof.

She dropped gracefully down on the bed next to him. Carol's eyes softened as she stared at his outstretched hand. It wasn't like that was the first time she'd seen blood. Hell, she must have seen plenty of it when she helped Hershel dig that bullet out of his side last week. But the look she was giving him now was sad, like the mere sight of the blood was enough to hurt her or something.

She took his hand again gently in her own, sending that familiar kind of fire shooting down his arm again. The cold sweat previously covering his body was instantly replaced with a burning temperature instead. He was tempted to yank his hand back from her, to break the strange connection they were sharing and cease her hold over him. But Daryl couldn't bring himself to sever the contact. As confusing as it was, he found he liked the way her fingers wrapped around his hand, cradling the bloody appendage like it was made of glass.

"Oh," she breathed as she examined the damage, her eyes glued to his hand as she turned it over in her own. "Daryl, your hand… it looks terrible."

"You should see the other guy," he chuckled bitterly. It weren't the first time he'd had a busted hand courtesy of Merle's hard head and it sure weren't gonna be the last. If Merle kept this hitting on Carol bullshit up Daryl knew that boxing matches with his brother would become a daily occurrence.

The look of concern on her face was making Daryl uncomfortable. Lying there while she held his hand like that wasn't right. It felt too intimate. He pushed himself off the ground with his free hand, raising his body so they were both sitting across from each other on the too-small mattress. The change in position did nothing to lower Daryl's feeling of unease though. Sitting like this next to Carol felt just as intimate.

His movement ceased her exam of this hand, raising her gaze to meet his. Her eyes were dancing with amusement when she spoke. "I have seen the other guy. Honestly, most days I can't stand to look at him."

Daryl's eyebrows shot up in surprise. She didn't like Merle hitting on her? That was good news. Meant he only had to keep an eye on Axel now.

Carol continued to cradle his hand as she reached across to grab something from the open first aid kit lying at her side. He hissed involuntarily at the stinging sensation leeching across the skin as she dragged an alcohol swab across his torn knuckles. That shit always stung like a bitch.

"Oh, don't be such a baby," Carol chided softly, leaning closer to him.

Daryl couldn't figure out what she was doing until he felt her soft breath fanning across his busted hand. Blowing on the sensitive skin to soothe the sting caused by the alcohol. But the feel of her breath on his skin wasn't taking the pain away. A new wave of fire was burning a path across his hand where her breath had landed.

What the hell was wrong with him today? Feeling like this wasn't normal for him. The damn woman was trying to help him and he was losing his shit over her breathing on him? Merle must have busted some of his nerves when they were wrestling on the ground. Yeah, nerve damage would explain why Carol's breath on his skin would feel this way wouldn't it?

He watched as her forehead crinkled with concentration. No-one ever took such time to tend to his wounds as Carol did. His own damn mama hadn't cared for him like this woman did.

"Baby?" he grunted. "Ain't no-one had the balls before to call me a baby before."

Carol's surprised gaze lifted from his hand to rest on his face. "Really? No-one?"

"No-one," Daryl repeated.

She cocked a questioning eyebrow at his response, silently prompting him to continue with a tip of her head.

He shifted uncomfortably under her unwavering gaze. Daryl hated it when she looked at him like that. It was the same look she had levelled at him back on the Greene farm when he'd yelled in her face. "Most folks ain't fool enough to call me a baby."

"Guess that makes me a fool then," Carol smiled shyly up at him, "doesn't it, Baby?" She punctuated the end of her question with an amused wink before angling her face back down to inspect the now clean wound on his hand, wrapping it with a length of sterile gauze.

The tips of his ears were burning. Daryl knew his entire face was bright red from her teasing and he dropped his chin to his chest in an effort to hide. He was thankful that she'd at least had the good sense to look away after calling him that. If anyone else had dared to call him that name he would of beaten them three ways to Sunday. But Carol was…different. It wasn't just because he would never hit a woman. He wasn't his old man. He wasn't that bastard Ed neither. Didn't matter what she said to him, she always got away with it. She seemed to have a free pass to say whatever the hell she wanted to him.

"Are you going to put that cigarette out or not?" she asked again. "I can't work on you while you're smoking."

Stealing a glance up, he saw that her head was still bowed over his now bandaged hand. She was sitting so goddamn close; their knees were almost touching. Daryl hadn't realized that she was holding onto his hand again. The previously bloody appendage was clean and wrapped firmly with gauze. His hand was also resting in her lap now too. God, he really was out of it today; not noticing she was holding his hand again like that. Like she cared. Like it mattered that he was hurt. Like _he_ mattered.

Besides Merle, Daryl was certain he'd never mattered to anyone else before in his entire life.

"What do you think?" he responded, nervously watching as she absently toyed with a frayed edge of the gauze.

"I think you're too stubborn for your own good," Carol chuckled lightly as she continued to cradle his hand in her own, rubbing her thumb lightly across the bandage.

He grunted in response, not trusting himself to answer that. He was too stubborn? That was rich coming from her. Never in his life had Daryl met a woman more stubborn than her. Every time he tried to push her away she dug her heels in further, refusing to budge an inch.

Carol sat, lost in her own world as she continued to hold his damaged hand, her thumb still tracing invisible circles against the cloth dressing. The stitches needing attention on his side had been seemingly forgotten. Daryl watched her through narrowed eyes, trying to figure out what was going on inside the woman's head today. He had no idea where her head was at, but she seemed to forgotten where she was and what she had been doing. He had no idea him enjoying a smoke would bother her so much. Plucking the half spent cigarette out of his mouth with his good hand, he turned his head and blew the lungful of smoke he was holding away from her.

He never knew smoking bothered her so damn much before. But he'd never smoked in front of her before.

"You want me to go get Hershel to fix me instead?" he finally asked after several seconds of uncomfortable silence. Daryl untangled his hand from her grasp and stood, severing the strange connection between them that had been festering since she first led him inside the prison. He didn't want to go and bother the vet. Hell, if it was that bad he'd stitch the wound up himself.

"What?" Her head shot up at his words, finally back from wherever her mind had taken her. "You're in no condition to be going anywhere. You sit down right now Daryl." Carol pointed a finger at him, indicating for him to indeed sit back down where he was. "I won't tell you again."

"Bossy," he muttered under his breath.

"I heard that."

"Good," he grunted sourly, but proceeded to follow her command and drop back onto the mattress. He did not appreciate being ordered around like some little bitch.

"Stay," she held up her hand in a ceasing motion as she spoke.

"Do I get a pat on the head for being a good boy too?" he grumbled. She was starting to treat him like he was that well trained poodle.

Before his well-honed hunter's instincts could react, Carol's hand had shot out and patted him softly on the head. "Good boy," she mocked with a teasing smile.

He sat frozen to the spot. He'd been kidding! He never expected Carol to actually pat him on the head like he was a damn dog. Like he was_ her_ damn dog. The patting he felt on his head turned into a brushing motion. She was running her fingers through his hair! So now he was getting a pat on the head and a scratch behind the ear? What was next…would she put a flea collar on him too?

As if just realizing what she was doing, Carol jerked her hand back from his head as if she'd been electrocuted. He watched as her eyes widened with obvious shock at her actions. "You… um…you really need a haircut soon," she stammered nervously as she turned away from him, focusing her attention in the medical kit still lying open at the side. "You'll, ah…you have to take your shirt off for me to check those stitches," she threw over her shoulder.

She wouldn't meet his eyes. Good thing too, because Daryl didn't know what the hell to think with what she had just done. Carol Peletier had just patted and scratched him on the head like he was a dog. And what's worse, he had asked her to do it! God he was really turning into Carol's little bitch.

Daryl reached up, the still-smouldering cigarette dangled precariously from his lips as he concentrated on unbuttoning the shirt while not dropping the smoke. The feel of Carol's hand in his hair was still lingering, causing him to fumble with the buttons. The fact that one of his hands was temporarily out of commission weren't helping matters neither. He struggled to get the damn buttons to co-operate, but he was having no luck. It was getting to the point that he'd have to rip the shirt clean off his body to let her check those stitches.

He'd been concentrating so intently on getting his shirt off that he didn't recognise the out-of-place sound he was hearing. He listened, stilling his actions. Laughter. Someone was laughing softly. Carol to be more precise. His head snapped up, searching for the reason for her amusement. Here he was struggling to undo a button and she was laughing her ass off at him? First she was shocked as shit she'd patted him on the head like a dog, now she was laughing up a storm like there was no tomorrow. What the hell had gotten into her?

Carol was curled up on the end of his mattress, her legs folded neatly underneath her body, her hand covering her mouth. He had no idea what the hell she was laughing at; her blue eyes were twinkling with amusement as they stayed fixed on him.

Maybe Daryl wasn't the only one suffering from a bout of brain damage today.

"What the hell's so funny?" he huffed. Didn't matter that he liked her happy, but he failed to see why him struggling to take off his shirt, like she had told him to, was so damn hilarious.

Her shoulders shook lightly with laughter as she met his eyes. "I was just thinking that you're doing it wrong," she said.

"Huh?" Daryl asked dumbfounded. Wrong…was she talking about the cigarette he was still smoking? He looked down at the still burning cylinder dangling from his lips. He had the filter end in his mouth. He had lit the correct end. What the hell was with her today?

Carol continued to chuckle as she watched him. "Well, we're on your bed _together_. And you started smoking _before_ you started undressing."

Daryl narrowed his eyes at her. "So what's so damn funny 'bout that?"

She leaned back, propping herself up with her elbows and stretching her legs out before her. "You're smoking, you've got a woman on your bed, not that comfortable a bed I might add but I can work with it," Carol bounced against her elbows demonstrating that fact, "and _now_ you're undressing?"

He stared at her for a moment, turning over in his mind exactly what she was talking about. What was the big deal anyway if he was smoking while she was lying on his bed before he got undressed-

Fuck.

"Might be in the middle of a prison, but this is still kinda romantic with me tending your wounds after you defended my honour and all," she grinned mischievously up at him from her reclined position. "You…me…all alone up here…but aren't you supposed smoke _after _we screw around?"

His eyes almost shot out of his head at her words. He was paralysed, sitting up on his knees with his hands frozen mid-way undoing a button. Daryl felt his heart stop for a second, only to start again at double the normal rate. Cold sweats, fire shooting through his body and now his heart was giving out on him…this woman was honestly going to be the death of him.

Daryl felt the tips of his ears burning as he dipped his head to hide from her unwavering gaze. Why was everything that came out of her mouth lately about _that_? With all the comments she'd been aiming his way the last few weeks she was starting to act like a goddamn nymphomaniac. He knew she enjoyed torturing him and making him squirm. And that was all it was; torture. It was a different torture to what his father had inflicted on him though. As embarrassed as Carol made him feel, Daryl found her torture was much better than his father's had been. Carol's teasing made him nervous, but Daryl knew she would never do to him what his daddy had done.

Every day when Daryl was a kid he had prayed for his father to stop beating him. But the thought that Carol might stop her own brand of Daryl's torture was…confusing. As embarrassed as her comments made him feel, Daryl found he didn't want her to stop teasing him like she did. That was the difference between her brand of torture and his daddy's. He also knew with absolute certainty that he didn't want her teasing anyone else like she did him.

Finally, the burning on his ears started to ebb away. He raised his eyes to find Carol staring at him with that same smile still plastered on her face. She looked very comfortable and had apparently completely forgotten about tending to his open wound. Her looking so damned comfortable on his bed made him very nervous. He needed her to move, to sit up or do something.

"This ain't a day spa. You gonna lie there all damn day or are you gonna check my stitches?" he grunted abrasively. He needed her to stop lying on his bed like she was. It was just…a good woman like Carol shouldn't be anywhere near a Dixon's bed.

"If this was a day spa I'd be getting a massage right about now. Unless you're offering?" she grinned playfully at him, knocking her boot against his knee.

"You need a cold shower."

She cocked an eyebrow at him. "Care to join me?"

The heat was rising to his face again. "Knock it off," he muttered.

"Alright, alright. You win." She sat herself up from her previously reclined position held up her hands in surrender. "You're still going to have to take off your shirt for me to fix those stitches though."

Daryl tugged uselessly at the button refusing to come undone. "What the hell you think I've been tryin' to do here?" he grunted, throwing his hands in the air in frustration. He had no idea how his brother dealt with this shit daily. "This ain't exactly easy to do one-handed."

Carol sat up, positioning herself on her knees to mirror the stance Daryl had adopted. Her fingers were against his shirt before he knew what had hit him.

"Let me," she said softly, not waiting for permission as she dove right in and started unbuttoning the troublesome pieces of plastic.

Why did she have to get so close to him? Didn't she know it weren't right for a good woman like her to be so trusting of a Dixon? If it had of been Merle sitting there instead of Daryl, the older Dixon would have had Carol on her back before she knew what was going on. But Daryl wasn't his brother. He was a better man than his brother.

"This ain't gonna get me in the shower with you," he blurted out before he could stop himself, inwardly groaning as her hands stilled on his shirt. He hadn't meant to say that. The combination of her teasing and close proximity was messing with his head worse than Merle's punches had. She was so goddamn close now and it was confusing the shit outta him. He could feel her breath hitting him in the face. Why did she have to be breathing on him like that?

The corners of her mouth flickered upward slightly. "Never said it would," she replied softly, speaking into his chest as she kept her eyes fixed on his shirt. Carol cleared her throat before continuing. "I guess that since you refuse to put that cigarette out I'll have to reapply those stitches while you smoke."

"Why's it bother you so much?" he asked.

Carol glanced up only to roll her eyes at him. Daryl couldn't help but notice her fingers had ceased their mission of removing his shirt. "It's not exactly hygienic for you to be doing that with an open wound."

"Look around," he said with nod of his head, indicating the grimy walls and dirty surroundings. "We ain't living in a bubble here."

"Fine, fine. I give up. I know you prefer to stay covered in dirt, but you've got to keep that wound free from infection. You don't and I'll drag you to the showers and clean it myself."

A sudden thought occurred to Daryl. He held out the still burning cigarette towards the woman kneeling opposite him. "You ever tired it?" he asked with curiosity.

Carol smirked at him. "What, dragging you to the showers? I think you know the answer to that one already."

If it was possible, his cheeks burnt hotter than ever. "I didn't mean that. I meant have you ever tried smoking?"

Carol laughed bitterly at his question. "Ed didn't want his wife smoking. He didn't consider it ladylike." She averted his gaze, returning to focus on the buttons of his shirt instead. Her hands stayed frozen on his front though, as if the mere thought of Ed still paralysed her.

He felt the familiar anger rear its ugly head at the mention of her former husband. Ed's name had that effect on Daryl. Had done since the Greene's farm. How the hell did such a douchebag manage to con a good woman like Carol into marrying him?

"Screw him. You ain't his wife no more. That asshole's dead last I checked," Daryl thrust the smouldering cigarette towards Carol. "Got what he deserved too," he mumbled under his breath.

He watched as the corners of her mouth twitched upwards at his words. A mischievous glint appeared in her eyes as she looked down at his hand. Slowly, Carol's grasp left his still half-buttoned shirt and took the offered smoke he held out. Wasn't much of it left now to offer though; it had nearly burnt all the way down to the filter. She tentatively brought the slowly burning cylinder to her lips.

"Screw Ed," she said with determination before finally inhaling.

His eyebrows shot up with shock. He'd never heard her speak that way about her jackass dead husband before. Daryl had plenty to say about the bastard, and it usually went a lot further than 'screw Ed'. But to hear Carol say it brought a chuckle to his throat.

"Damn fuckin' right, screw Ed!" he agreed with a smirk.

Carol's eyes went wide with silent laughter. The problem was that she was midway into inhaling when the laughter hit her. She started coughing and sending small puffs of smoke in Daryl's face as she struggled for breath. She dropped to the ground, folding in on herself. Without thinking, he reached down and started rubbing and thumping her back trying to help her breathing return to normal. It took him a moment to realize he was mirroring the action she had performed on him earlier when he'd started choking on the lunch she had brought him.

"Hey, you alright?" he asked, bowing his head to get a better view of her reddening face.

"Alright?" she spluttered between coughs. "Do I look alright?!"

Daryl started chuckling. He couldn't help himself. "You were doin' it wrong," he said, echoing her earlier words to him. He also couldn't stop himself from still rubbing her back as her breath struggled to return to normal.

"That's not funny Daryl," she declared in a wheezing voice, glaring angrily up at him from her position on the floor.

"Not funny?" he huffed. "You've been giving me shit all afternoon and now _this_ ain't funny?" Daryl snorted. "You can give it but you can't take it."

She was struggling to breath, but she still had enough breath in her lungs to be pissed at him, that fact was plain for him to see even from her hunched over state on the floor on the perch. Merle had been right; she had fire. Took quite a lot to stay pissed at someone while you're trying to remember how to breathe properly. After several large gulps of air Carol's breathing seemed to regulate, returning to the normal pace he was used to hearing. She brought herself back up to a sitting position to face him again. Daryl noticed that she was still clutching his cigarette between her fingers.

She's choking to death but refuses to drop the smoke that damn near killed her? Yeah, Daryl was definitely the one too stubborn for his own good in this scenario.

"That's different," Carol stated, still glaring at him.

"How's it different?" Daryl demanded.

The sound of whistling wafting up from the level below interrupted the tension surrounding the two people on the perch. Both gazes dropped at the same time to the level below, searching for the culprit creating the sound. Culprit was definitely the right term. Axel was strolling through the cell block like he didn't have a care in the world.

Daryl groaned when he caught sight of the annoying man. Why was that fucker everywhere all the damn time now? Didn't he already chase this douchebag out of this exact same situation only a week ago?

The sound of Daryl's groan seemed to capture the inmate's attention, ceasing the whistle on his lips as his eyes landed on one particular person sitting on the perch.

"Afternoon Carol," Axel greeted, his slimy voice floating up from the ground floor.

"Axel," Carol returned with a swift nod of her head.

Daryl glared at the dumbass standing below. He was getting real tired of the guy bothering Carol. "There any chance you could just fuck the hell off one of these days?" Axel had a way of getting under Daryl's skin and pissing him off instantly.

"Just sayin' hello is all," the inmate replied sheepishly. His eyes drifted back to Carol as he spoke.

"Thought I covered this the other day when we had our little chat." Daryl abruptly stood and stomped towards the staircase, positioning himself directly between the inmate's line of sight and Carol. He could feel Carol rise behind him. All that mattered was severing the lingering look Axel was giving her. Again. Like Daryl wasn't even there. The dumbass was saying too much with a look like that. Seemed like as good a time as any to distribute that ass-kicking the inmate was in desperate need of. Daryl levelled a finger right at the other man. "You wanna talk to her you're gonna have to get past me first."

Axel held up his hands in surrender. "Didn't mean nothin' by it. Just bein' friendly is all."

Daryl huffed at the other man. "No-one here's askin' you to be _friendly_. You can take your _friendly _and shove it right-"

"Daryl," Carol interrupted softly, laying a hand gently against his back and silencing the insult on his lips.

He glanced over his shoulder at the woman who had managed to restrain him with nothing more than a light touch. Normally it's take more than one person to stop him doing or saying something. But Carol was different. She got certain privileges that the other members of the group didn't get. Daryl just couldn't remember when that had happened.

The woman shook her head at him gently. "Please don't."

Well this was just great. He wasn't allowed to even insult the guy! Carol had effectively muzzled him! And here he was, heeling to her commands like the well trained dog that he was. What the hell was he supposed to do now?

Reaching behind, Daryl plucked the cigarette from Carol's hand. Since he wasn't allowed to say what he wanted to the moron downstairs he might as well enjoy what was left of the cigarette. The smoke filling his lungs managed to distract him from the pressing need to beat the inmate's stupid ass from here to next week.

He turned his head and blew the smoke away from Carol before returning his attention to the pesky inmate standing on the floor below. "Thought I told you to stay the hell away from her."

"I was just passing by is all. Didn't even know ya'll was here I swear." Axel took a tentative step backwards. "Look Mister, I ain't lookin' for trouble. I'm leavin'."

"Yeah, well keep leavin'." Daryl scowled at the other man.

"Don't have to get all worked up 'bout it none," Axel huffed.

"Like hell I don't," he grunted.

Finally taking the hint, Axel moved back in the direction he had come from. The man stopped suddenly and turned back to them, a confused expression fixed on his face. "I just gotta ask somethin' before I go." His attention was locked on Carol as she reached over and took what was left of the cigarette back from Daryl. "Ain't smokin' bad for the baby?"

Daryl looked around the perch. He couldn't see Ass-Kicker or her makeshift crib anywhere up there. Kid must be sleeping dowstairs. He wouldn't be dumb enough to smoke with a baby around. He shrugged his shoulders when his gaze met Carol's.

"Judith's sleeping in Beth's cell for the moment. We wouldn't be smoking if she was up here with us." Carol raised the cigarette to her lips and inhaled to illustrate her point.

The ease in which she inhaled this time made Daryl wonder if maybe the woman standing near him had more experience smoking then she let on.

The inmate shook his head vigorously, sending his dirty blonde hair streaking back and forth. "No, not Rick's baby, your baby." Axel pointed at Carol. "You're pregnant ain't ya?"

_'Fuck!'_ Daryl thought to himself with panic as his eyes nearly shot out of his head. Now the shit was really gonna hit the fan.

Carol looked down to the cigarette still in her hand. "Baby?" she choked as she struggled for air once again. "What baby?" She took a step down the staircase, stopping when she was level with Daryl. He could see she was searching his face for the answer to her question.

Daryl couldn't find his voice to answer her. He stood frozen to the spot as the pieces finally seemed to fall into place within Carol's mind. The hand holding what was left of the cigarette drifted across to land on her chest.

"My baby?" she asked with a bewildered expression. "I'm pregnant?!" Carol asked with shock as she looked at Daryl.

Axel narrowed his eyes, this gaze travelling between the two people standing on the perch. Seemed like the idiot wasn't as stupid as everyone had pegged him to be. Daryl never thought that his conversation with Axel last week would bite him in the ass like this.

"Yeah, well of course your baby. Your man there told me that you was knocked up and hitting on his pregnant old lady would be a real dumbass move."

"Yes, it would be a dumbass move, wouldn't it?" Carol's annoyance was apparent in her tone.

Daryl had the distinct feeling she wasn't calling Axel the only dumbass in this situation.

"So I'm right, ain't I?" Axel asked, still staring at Carol. "Smoking's bad for the baby. Unless your fella there was lying to me 'bout you being pregnant and all."

Carol kept her eyes locked on Daryl. She reminded Daryl of a snake poised to strike its prey; the way her eyes narrowed at him and her nostrils flared out. Only thing was that snakes didn't smoke. He wasn't sure if the smoke coming out of Carol's nose right now was from the tobacco she'd inhaled or a result of Daryl's addition to Glenn's story.

"It was a false alarm," Carol finally said, her eyes never leaving Daryl's. She dropped the spent cigarette to the floor, crushing the smouldering embers beneath her boot. "That's all it was…a false alarm."

Axel took a tentative step, placing his foot on the first stair. "So you tellin' me ya ain't pregnant?" He rubbed at his moustache, stroking the facial hair while he eyed the woman standing above. "That's real interesting now."

"That's where you're wrong," Daryl said, taking a menacing step down the staircase towards the other man. He needed to put a nail in this quick. Now that fucker knew Carol wasn't really pregnant Daryl was certain the dipshit would try something when no-one was watching out for her. Daryl needed to scare the shit out of this guy. Again. "This ain't of any interest to you at all. Get the hell outta here." Daryl threw his arm towards the doorway leading into the mess hall. The further Axel was away from Carol the better. "Go on, get!"

"I was just tryin' to be friendly is all," the inmate muttered dejectedly.

Daryl snorted. He had an idea exactly what kind of actions this moron thought would be _friendly_ towards the women of the group. "I'll bet. We've had this discussion before. She's off limits, you understand me."

"You know what I think?" the inmate started, staring straight at Daryl. "I think you and her ain't a thing. I think ya'll been lying to me 'bout you and your brother and her this whole time."

"Well you know what I think?" Daryl echoed, descending further as he spoke. Reaching down, he pulled his buck knife free from its sheaf and pointed the intimidating blade at the other man. "I think you best stay the hell away from me and mine, you hear me asshole!"

It was bad enough Axel had figured out Glenn's story was just that; a story. No way was Daryl letting the hippy bastard any closer to Carol than what he already was. The inmate was already too close to the woman for his liking as it was.

The gulping sound coming from Axel's direction made it clear he was finally taking note of what Daryl was telling him. It didn't matter whether Axel was finally listening to what Daryl was saying or if it was the message the blade was getting across, results were results.

"You come near her again and I'll finish what I started the other day. You really wanna risk that happening?" Daryl kept the blade pointed squarely at the trembling man standing below him.

Axel shook his head mutely, his wide eyes never leaving the blade. Daryl watch with satisfaction as Axel made his retreat, backing out the way he'd come in. The inmate threw one last glance up at Carol before he scurried through the mess hall doorway. Daryl growled at the retreating man's back before turning and stomping back up the stairs, returning to his perch and the medical treatment Carol had promised earlier. When he reached the landing he was greeted by the sight of Carol standing with her arms folded tightly across her chest, her eyebrow arched as she watched him.

"What?" Daryl demanded.

The woman kept her arms folded as she leant back against the railing. The faintest hint of a smirk was tugging at the corner of her mouth, threatening to crack her stoic façade. Her looking at him like that made Daryl feel like he was her damn dog again, but now he felt like he'd just been caught chewing on her slippers or some shit like that. She looked half pissed, half amused. Like she couldn't decide which one to go with.

Daryl raised his thumb to his lips and bit at the rough skin there. Her just standing there not saying anything made him nervous as all hell. Why did she have to look at him like she was?

Finally, Carol sighed and unfolded her arms. "Sit-" she commanded, pointing to the mattress at Daryl's feet.

Daryl begrudgingly nodded his head as he dropped back down onto the bed. "Yeah, yeah, I know. Sit. Stay. Good boy. I know the drill."

He absently started picking at the hole in the knee of his pants. He felt ashamed after his run-in with Axel. The inmate had practically begged for Daryl to threaten him, acting like he had any right to talk to Carol. Damn hippy didn't even have the right to look at her. Daryl had made it clear last week; all the women were off-limits. Daryl had warned him to stay clear of _her_ in particular. Lasted all of a week. The dipshit had the memory of a goddamn goldfish.

Looking up, Daryl realized Carol hadn't moved an inch away from the landing. Her head tilted to the side as she watched him through narrowed eyes.

"What? We gonna get this show on the road or not?" he asked irritably, gesturing to the still open wound on his torso.

Wordlessly, Carol joined him on the mattress and deftly made short work of unbuttoning his shirt then shucking it down his shoulders. Gathering the supplies she needed, Carol cleaned the wound and started to re-apply the stitches for the third time in just over a week. Her focus was completely on the work she was doing.

"Sorry," he grumbled, feeling his anger at Axel slowly ebb away as Carol worked. He wasn't apologizing for what he'd said to Axel. He was sorry she'd had to witness him loose his temper like that.

"It's okay," Carol offered, her attention still focused on the stitches she was re-applying. "So…me and mine, huh?" she questioned with the hint of a smile, her eyes flicking up to meet his.

Daryl groaned. The blush returned to his face with a vengeance. He didn't trust himself to look down at his exposed torso. He was certain he'd be bright red from ears to toes. _'Oh Lord, kill me now,' _he thought. She had to hear that part, didn't she?

"You mad?" he asked. Daryl wasn't sure if he really wanted Carol to answer that.

"Mad?" Her eyes shot up to find his face once more. "Why would I be mad?"

Daryl grunted. "Cause I made up that stuff 'bout you and me." Why did he say _you and me_ like that? There was no _him and Carol_. He had no right to mention her with him. She deserved better that a Dixon.

"Stuff like I'm pregnant and you're the father? I didn't get mad at Glenn for making the story up in the first place and I'm not mad at you now." She grinned up at him mischievously. "But next time you get me pregnant remember to tell me about it. A girl likes to know these things."

What he wouldn't give for the Earth to open up and swallow him whole right this second.

He grunted as the needle she held pierced a particularly tender area of flesh. "Had to tell him something to keep him away. Didn't think he'd be dumb enough to hit on a pregnant woman."

"I think that's where you're wrong. Axel would hit on anything with two legs and a pulse," she countered.

"Don't think he'd be too picky about the legs neither," Daryl started. "You ain't got legs you can't run away from his creepy ass."

Carol chuckled at his joke. "Well, if he's not too picky about the pulse part either there's a whole herd of eligible ladies willing to just eat him alive standing right outside the perimeter fence."

Daryl nodded his agreement. "Think that's the best idea you've ever had."

The tiny woman hunched over his torso gave him a bright smile before returning her attention to the stitches she was finishing. Daryl found his gaze locked on her while she worked. Lately, his gaze always wandered to find her face in the crowd. He watched her as she repacked the first aid kit strewn over his bed. With her head bowed now and her mind concentrating at the task at hand Daryl was able to watch her without fear of discovery. He had no idea why his eyes always drifted to wherever she was. He figured it had something to do with need to keep her safe. It had started when Sophia went missing, but the compulsion to protect her was growing strong with each passing day.

"So…when exactly were you planning to tell me I was pregnant?"

Her question startled Daryl, abruptly ending his silent study of her. He shrugged his shoulders when she looked up at him from the now completely repacked first aid kit. In all honesty he hadn't thought to tell her. Ever. "Didn't exactly think that far ahead. Merle told me-"

"No good ever came from that," Carol muttered under her breath.

He glared at her. "I didn't think it through alright! I just…" he struggled with the words. Why was this shit so hard? "I was trying to keep that ass-hat away from you is all," Daryl admitted softly, too ashamed by his admission to look at her.

The sensation of fire shooting up his arm again grabbed Daryl's attention instantly. Looking down, he found the point of origin. He really didn't have to look though. He'd been feeling that fire dance across his skin plenty today.

Carol's hand was resting on his bicep, squeezing gently. "You're a good man Daryl." She smiled softly at him, passing him back his plaid shirt with her free hand. "Remember that."

Daryl grunted, his eyes flickering away from her at the compliment he knew he didn't deserve. "Not doing anything no-one else wouldn't have done."

"That's where you're wrong." The edges of her mouth curled up into a smile again. "I don't think Rick or Glenn would have gone to the extreme of knocking me up to keep me safe."

Why couldn't Axel just keep his goddamn mouth shut for once? Daryl could feel the tips of his ears redden again as he threw the shirt back on. The sudden action made him wince. In his attempt to get redressed he'd inadvertently pulled at his fresh stitches. Seemed he was destined to never recover from this bullet wound.

"Careful," she cautioned, her hands flying up to rest on his exposed stomach. "I don't want to be re-applying those stitches anytime soon."

Her hands landing on this fresh patch of skin ignited another fire. She was standing so close. Why'd she have to be standing so goddamn close like that? The fire died just as suddenly as it started when she removed her hands to pull his shirt together and button it.

"Ain't makin' any promises," he grunted, looking anywhere but down at the woman buttoning his shirt. He needed to put some distance between her and him. Carol was a good woman. After her asshole of a husband you'd think she would have learnt to stay away from men that weren't decent. Daryl was a Dixon. Weren't ever a decent man born in the bunch there. Didn't matter what she thought.

Daryl stepped away from Carol once she had finished dressing him. God, with his hand bandaged he couldn't even dress himself! He was turning into such a helpless pussy today.

"Well, you're all set now. Nothing I can do for that black eye you'll be sporting later." She bent to pick up the first aid kit. "You better have some water. That fight did enough damage, we don't need to add dehydration to your list of problems."

"Thanks," Daryl huffed, his eyes briefly flickering up to catch hers as he made his way towards the stairs. He would follow doctor's orders and get some goddamn water. The fresh stitches were pulling at his side, hindering his pace as he descended.

"Oh Daryl?" Carol called.

He paused mid-step and turned back to her. Carol stood at the doorway to her cell with a huge grin plastered across her face. She had that teasing look in her eyes again as she smiled at him. That was a bad sign.

"Could you get me up some peanut butter and pickles when you grab that water? Your child has a craving." Carol rubbed her flat belly as she winked at him. "Thanks Baby."

"Baby?" Glenn's surprised voice carried up to the perch.

Looking down, Daryl saw that the younger man had replaced Axel's previous position at the foot of the stairs, a confused expression on his face.

"Who the hell's _Baby_?" Glenn asked.

"You!" Daryl's eyes flashed towards Glenn. The younger Dixon felt his anger levels rising just with the appearance of the Korean man. Daryl levelled a threatening finger at the man standing on the ground level. He continued his decent of the staircase, heading straight towards the younger man. "This shit is all your fault!"

"Me?" Glenn squeaked, backing up a few steps from the redneck barrelling towards him. "What the hell did I do?"

"Haven't you heard the good news Glenn?" Carol's cheery voice carried down from the perch. "Now, in addition to being the Dixon's sex toy I'm also pregnant."

Daryl halted in his tracks at the base of the stairs. He could feel that damn blush returning. Why did she have to say it like that? Now the entire group would know what he said to keep Axel in check.

"You're what?!" Glenn screeched.

"Pregnant. You know…knocked up, expecting, with child," Carol smiled down at the younger man.

Glenn's eyes were threatening to burst right out of his head. "How the hell is that my fault? Didn't Daryl use a cond-"

"Don't you fuckin' say it Short Round," Daryl threatened from the base of the stairs. He could feel the anger previously brought on from Axel's appearance returning with a vengeance, directly squarely at the younger man before him. He had to keep himself in check though. No good would come from killing Glenn. Better save that shit for when he next saw Axel. "She ain't really pregnant! I only told Axel that. I figured he wouldn't mess with her if she had a baby comin'."

"So how the hell am I responsible for her being pregnant?" Glenn asked with bewilderment, his head snapping back and forth between Daryl and Carol.

"How are you responsible?" Daryl hissed, advancing on Glenn as he spoke. The kid had to be fucking kidding! "If you hadn't made that bullshit story up 'bout Carol and me I wouldn't have told Axel she was having my damn kid that's how! This shit is all your damn fault!" The younger Dixon pushed past Glenn and walked through the doorway leading into the mess hall.

Glenn turned to look back up at Carol. "So let me get this straight. I'm responsible for Daryl Dixon knocking you up?"

Carol nodded her head.

"DARYL, WAIT!" Glenn's voice ran out through the halls to the retreating hunter.

Daryl turned back to face the other man. Glenn was grinning at him like a kid in a candy store. "Do I have to pay child support for Carol's baby too or do you and Merle have that covered?"

The sound of Carol's laughter followed Daryl down the hallway as he stormed out of the prison. He flexed his freshly bandaged hand, trying to release the pent up anger he felt coursing through his body. He still owed Glenn that ass-kicking. Daryl had not forgotten about that. And Daryl always paid his debts.

**Another long A/N: Right off the bat, I'm just going to make my standard apology for keeping you all waiting for so long for this latest chapter. I am sincerely sorry for the wait. I hope that I haven't pissed too many people off with the horrendously long wait between drinks. As I've mentioned before, I can't write quickly (but apparently length isn't a problem). This chapter here actually took me about three weeks to do, but the thing is I was mid-way through writing another chapter when inspiration hit me like a lightning bolt. So on the plus side that means I've already got half of the next chapter ready to go, with all the jokes in it I want to hit. It just comes down to assembling the pieces. Fingers crossed I'll have Chapter 11 out much sooner than usual.**

**Fun Fact: The chapter you just read was actually inspired in part from me reading another story on this site (nothing is stolen or 'borrowed without permission'). That coupled with the fact I wanted to explore Daryl's feelings regarding letting Carol hold his hand as they walked back into the prison has led to this 10000+ word monster chapter you just experienced. I would have broken this into two, but I couldn't find a natural place to do that in, hence the mega chapter. And breaking it in two would have echoed Chapters 4 and 5 too much. Plus, I kind of wanted see if I could still write a chapter without directly featuring Merle. He has completely high-jacked this tale! I honestly never meant to write so damn much for this chapter, but stuff and thangs just kept coming to the surface.**

**Thank you all again for reading. I sincerely hope you're still enjoying the ride. And thank you from the bottom of my frozen heart for the reviews. They are thawing the cold little organ more than I ever thought possible. You are all amazing and I am just thankful you seem to like what I do here.**


	11. Chapter 11

The mid-morning sun was harsh and unrelenting as it beat down on the Georgian countryside. The combined sounds of crickets mixed with the groans of the dead enveloped the prison like a thick woollen blanket draped over a make-shift children's fort. Rick and Glenn worked tirelessly side by side dispatching walkers through the safety of the perimeter fence. Both men killed walker after walker with quiet efficiency as matching beads of sweat trickled down their sunburnt faces.

The walkers had started amassing along the prison fence since during early hours of the morning. It seemed the sounds of the living fighting yesterday had drawn a dead audience to the prison today.

Despite the temperature holding the promise of a hot but pleasant day a sombre atmosphere had settled over the prison. For once, that change in atmosphere had nothing to do with the walkers trying desperately to break through the chain fence.

Half of Tyreese's group had left without one word during the night. Ben and Allen had slipped away, leaving the sanctuary of the prison and abandoning Tyreese and Sasha both in one swift hit. The two men must have crept out of the prison during Axel's night watch shift; there was no other explanation for it. Daryl had been on watch for the earlier shift, and there was no way anyone could have slipped past the hunter and his keen eyes. It was a miracle the two men had made it past the herd of walkers that had started to gather along the perimeter fence. The two groups must have passed like ships in the night. Either they managed to slip unbeknownst past the hungry beasts or they had become a gruesome breakfast for the ghouls. But there had been no human blood to be seen anywhere on the ground, and had the men fallen their screams would of surely woken the entire prison.

No-one had realized the men were gone until after breakfast when no trace could be found of them. The sight of their meagre possessions gone from their shared cell in D block only served to confirm that they had in fact left and weren't just wandering about the prison somewhere. Sasha and Tyreese had avoided everyone since realizing their companions had snuck away. They were both understandably upset at being abandoned by the people they had considered family. With nothing much left in this new world, family - whether by blood or by bond - was all anyone had left anymore.

The sombre mood wasn't affecting Glenn and Rick's ability to dispatch walkers though. With this many walkers being drawn to the prison like moths to a flame the two men had to work quickly. As soon as one walker had fallen, two more appeared to take its place. The dead needed to be eliminated, quickly and quietly. If too many of them pressed against the fence at one point they could potentially break down the wire and flood the yard.

Each man used a piece of rebar for their gruesome task. The simple tool was easier to navigate through the holes in the fence than a blade. No guns. That was completely out of the question. Bullets were too precious and needed to be conserved. No use drawing more walkers to the area than there already were with unnecessary gunfire. If any more arrived and started pushing together against the fence there was no telling how long it would hold up before collapsing under their combined weight.

Glenn and Rick dispatched walker after walker while Carol kept guard from the corner watch tower. Her eyes could be trusted to not let anyone or anything pass by undetected, unlike Axel.

You had to be desensitised to survive in the hell they lived in now. The once sickening thought of facing a herd of walkers had definitely desensitised Glenn to the horrors this new world presented. Not that he could ever let his guard down despite the safety that the prison offered. You couldn't afford to let your guard down now. Whether you were watching out for the dead or the living, you always had to be on the ball, protecting everyone from potential threats. You had to be strong to survive. If you survived, you thrived. Glenn never would have thought before the world ended that he possessed the strength to survive the apocalypse. Before the shit hit the fan he'd been nothing but a pizza delivery guy for Christ's sake! But he had survived. Hell, he had not only survived, he had flourished. He was no longer a pizza delivery guy who battled evil only on his Xbox. He was a warrior battling the dead with a gorgeous girl who he loved fighting just as furiously by his side.

Kind of made him like Ash from 'Evil Dead' in a way. Glenn already knew where he could get a double-barrel shotgun, now all he needed was a chainsaw and he'd be good to go…

"Glenn?" Rick called out, breaking the established silence the men had been working in for the last hour.

The younger man drove his piece of rebar through the decaying eye socket of the female walker clawing wildly for him against the fence. After a morning of non-stop killing it finally seemed they were making a dent in the assembled herd.

"What's up Rick?" Glenn asked as he yanked the metal free from the corpse, watching with grim satisfaction as the carcass landed on the ground with a soft thud. He eyed the rebar appreciatively. Not as much fun as a chainsaw would have been, but the rusty piece of metal got the job done well enough.

Rick paused for a moment as he turned to regard the younger man standing several yards away. "You and Merle…you settle everything yesterday?"

"What?" Glenn asked, driving the rebar home again through another walker's skull. Rick had done nothing to end the fight with Merle yesterday when it was happening, why would he be asking about it today?

Rick casually picked off another member of the walking dead clawing desperately against the chain metal boundary. He sighed deeply before speaking again. The man sounded like the weight of the world was on his shoulders with that single exhale. "I've been thinking it over. We need to be working together here to save our asses. If you still got a score to settle with Merle I need to know about it now." A tired grin grew across Rick's face. "Don't get me wrong, I'd like nothing more than to knock Merle's teeth out myself, but we can't have another display like what we had out here yesterday. Leads to shit like this happening today," he gestured out towards the growing wake of fallen corpses he and Glenn had left littered along the outside of the fence.

"Funny," Glenn puffed, killing an older male walker wearing a grimy leisure suit. "The way I remember it, _you_ were cheering the loudest for me to kick his ass. Jesus Rick, you even gave me the chair I hit the guy with!"

The Sheriff's Deputy chuckled lightly. "I ain't denying either of those things…I'm just sayin' it was reckless is all. I shouldn't have let the fight to escalate to that point." Rick pointed towards the remaining walkers gathering against the fence. "All that noise yesterday drew this herd here today. We've gotta be more careful. The dead ain't the only ones we gotta fear now."

"Trust me Rick, I get that." Glenn stepped back from the grisly task at hand and let his gaze wander to the forest surrounding the prison. The only imminent threat Glenn saw outside today was the walkers. In the grand scheme of things that made for a good day. The world was pretty messed up if a good day meant you only had to deal with re-animated corpses wanting to suck the flesh from your bones.

Now, the threat of the living was beginning to outweigh the threat of the dead.

"Me and Merle…we're good now." Glenn stepped back to the fence and quickly dispatched another walker. "Still think he's an asshole though," he grunted with amusement.

"Don't think you'll find anyone arguing that fact." Rick wiped his hand across his face. "So you and Merle, you've gotten pretty tight. You two talk?"

"We talk," the younger man confirmed cautiously. Rick didn't need to know that the main topic of conversation between the two men was usually them plotting different ways to keep Axel away from the ladies of the group.

He turned to face the former Sherriff's Deputy at his side. "Look Rick, where's this going? Merle and I don't sit there and braid each other's hair if that's what you're asking. What's up?"

"What's up is that you don't normally see Daryl and Merle tradin' haymakers like that." Rick stepped away from the fence and closed the distance between him and Glenn. His voice dropped conspiratorially as he leaned closer towards the slightly shorter man. "You know anything 'bout that pissin' contest between those two out here yesterday?"

Was Rick serious? The man had to be kidding. Rick had been a cop for Christ's sake! His job had been to see through the bullshit people tried pulling on a daily basis. How could Rick _not_ work out that Daryl and Merle had been fighting about?

As soon as Glenn heard the slapping sound yesterday he had known who was responsible for it. Didn't take a rocket scientist to work out what Merle had done. And without witnessing it Glenn had known without a doubt _who_ he had done it to. Glenn knew the only reason Merle would touch Carol like that was if Daryl was watching the show the older Dixon was putting on for his baby brother. It didn't hurt that Maggie had filled Glenn in on all the details of the Dixon fight later that evening either.

"What do you think happened yesterday between Merle and Daryl?" Glenn asked.

Rick shook his head, focusing his attention on the ground beneath his boots as he spoke. "I don't know what to make of it. All anyone can tell me is that Daryl started it. You wanting to kick Merle's ass, I get that. Hell, I endorsed it yesterday." The older man chuckled, raising his head to catch the younger man's eye. "But Daryl? Far as I understand it Daryl don't usually attack his brother like that. In fact," the leader of their group looked back towards the prison, "I don't believe I've ever seen Daryl get physical with Merle."

Glenn chuckled at the memory of the Dixon fight. Man that had been good to see. Daryl flinging dirt in Merle's face had been the icing on the cake. It had made for a good afternoon watching the two scariest guys he knew roll around on the ground like children bickering in a playground. Kind of fitting, considering Merle Dixon acted like a spoilt child most of the time. Watching the two Dixon brothers fight over Carol had been better than any game he'd ever played. Even better than Portal.

An unlikely friendship had grown between Glenn and Merle over the past week. They may have found common ground with their combined goal of keeping the group safe, but Glenn still enjoyed watching Merle get his ass served to him. That man acted like he was invincible or something. Merle Dixon obviously didn't get the memo that his own brother was a cross between the Hulk and Superman. And considering Daryl's weapon of choice, maybe throw a little Hawkeye in there for good measure too.

The younger man stepped back to the fence and shoved the rebar he was still holding through the empty eye socket of the last walker clawing for him against the wire. After a hard morning's work, they had finally managed to dispatch all the walkers that had arrived at the prison overnight. Glenn paused, contemplating his next words while he watched the geek land in a crumpled heap on the ground.

"Yesterday was…nothing," he answered finally. "Nothing to worry about anyway."

"Nothing?" Rick mimicked incredulously. "Yesterday I stood by and watched Daryl try to kill his brother with his bare hands. You tellin' me that's nothing? At one point I thought Daryl might break Merle's arm clear from his body and beat him with it."

"Now_ that_ would have been worth seeing," Glenn grinned at the thought. That scenario would have made for an interesting Xbox game. How many points would you get for clubbing your opponent with their own dismembered appendage? You'd have to get triple points if it was a blood relative you were fighting, right?

"I'm serious here Glenn." Rick flung his piece of rebar across the grassy field. He was clearly losing his patience. "Are you gonna tell me what the hell that was yesterday or not?"

Glenn sighed. Might as well come clean now. "It wasn't a pissing contest. More like Daryl was marking his territory."

"What?" Rick asked with confusion. The Sherriff's Deputy put his hands on his hips, waiting for the younger man to continue.

"You seriously don't know what went down yesterday?" Glenn asked, watching Rick silently answer with a shake of his head. The younger man took a deep breath before continuing with his explanation. "Daryl had his reasons for beating the shit out of Merle yesterday. Good reasons Rick. Like, _really _good reasons."

"Care to explain to me what those reasons were?" Rick wasn't going to let this drop until he had an explanation.

"Why are you asking me this anyway? Wouldn't it be easier to just ask Daryl?"

Rick huffed, dropping his hands from his hips. His eyes scanned the forest line as he spoke, almost like he was too ashamed to meet Glenn's gaze. "I ask Daryl what's going on I ain't gonna get a straight answer. Not about this. Yesterday, what I saw out here," Rick nodded towards the yard, "I ain't seen Daryl lose control like that in months. Not since he and Shane got into it at the farm. I need to make sure he don't let loose like that on anyone else."

This is what Rick had been concerned about? Out of everyone in the group, Glenn was certain Daryl would be the last one to snap and go all homicidal maniac on them. And there was no way Daryl would do something like that without provocation. If Merle had of just kept his hand to himself Daryl wouldn't have started the fight. Glenn knew with absolute certainty that Daryl wasn't the threat to be concerned about. Neither was Merle. Axel was.

"You're seriously worried about Daryl?" Glenn asked.

"First day I met the man he drew a knife on me," countered Rick.

"Yeah, and he also threw dead squirrels at you. Has he done either of those things to you since that day?"

Rick chuckled. "I know Daryl ain't that same man anymore. Hell, I consider him my brother. But I'm…concerned. If something's going on between him and Merle I need it dealt with. If it's something that's gonna threaten the stability of the group, I can't let that lie."

"You really want to get into the middle of a redneck rumble? We don't have dentists anymore Rick. You get involved in the Dixon brothers' fights and I'm pretty sure you'll end up missing some teeth." Glenn grinned evilly at the other man and waggled his eyebrows at Rick. "You want Merle to start telling you that you've got a _real_ _purty mouth_."

"Definitely not," the older man chuckled uncomfortably at the horrifying thought. "I guess you're right. But from what I saw yesterday, Daryl had no reason to lay into his brother like that. One minute I'm scanning the perimeter, the next I hear Daryl screamin' and those two are beating the shit outta one another. And I ain't dumb enough to try and break up _that_ fight. If Daryl can do that to his own blood, what's to stop him from coming at any one of us like that?" Rick dropped to the ground, resting his elbows on his knees as he squatted. "This new world is a place that sends good men insane." The older man signed heavily before he looked up to catch Glenn's eye. "I'm just…do I need to be concerned about Daryl losing his grip here?"

He was worried Daryl was going off the deep end? _That_ was unexpected. But after Rick's self-imposed isolation in the tombs following Lori's death, Glenn could understand how the man on the ground before him could come to that conclusion. This was a new world where the crazy flourished and the burden of humanity was becoming a weight of the past. The younger man had his concerns regarding the strength of Rick's hold over his own mental capabilities. But the man had lost his wife during childbirth. Rick was allowed a free-pass to ride the Crazy Train if he needed to. He seemed to be dealing with everything ok now. At least he was talking to people again instead of disappearing into the prison for days on end only to return mute and covered in walker blood.

Glenn shook his head. "Daryl's not losing it Rick. You don't need to worry about that happening anytime soon. He's fine."

Rick stood, rising to his full height. He looked determinedly at the other man. "Then what the hell set him off yesterday?"

The younger man couldn't help but smile as he spoke to the clueless man. "Look, it's really simple Rick. You keep your hands to yourself and away from Carol's ass and you won't have to worry about Daryl going crazy again anytime soon."

The Sherriff Deputy's face contorted into a baffled expression. "Why would I be grabbing Carol's ass in the first place?"

Glenn was struggling not to laugh at the bewildered look on Rick's face. Clearly, the man had been too caught up worrying that his friend was going crazy to even consider the possibility that something else might have been responsible for Daryl attacking Merle.

"The fight yesterday," Glenn waited for Rick's nod indicating him to continue. "Merle grabbed Carol's ass. _While_ _Daryl was watching_."

"Shit." Rick exclaimed with a shake of his head, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly upward. "I knew Merle was stupid. Just didn't think he'd do something _that_ stupid. What the hell was he thinking anyway?"

"He was just trying to sell the whole 'myth of the Dixon Brothers' to Axel. When Daryl broke up the fight between me and Merle, I noticed Axel watching her again. I wasn't kidding about that guy Rick." Glenn pointed at Rick's chest, emphasising his point. Just speaking about Axel was starting to make his blood boil. "He's up to something and he's got his eye on Carol. Merle was just trying to keep the creep away from her, that's all. His heart was in the right place."

Rick scoffed. "You expect me to believe that Merle feelin' up Carol was done outta the goodness of his heart and nothing else?"

"I said his heart was in the right place. I didn't say his hand was. I'll admit his delivery could use some work."

"Certainly explains what the hell happened. Don't get me wrong," Rick said, holding one hand up in placating gesture. "It's good to see Merle get his ass handed to him, especially hearing what he did to Carol. Hell, I'd like to punch him myself for doin' that. Don't know if I'd have gone so far as to throw dirt in the asshole's face over it though."

"If Merle tried that move on Maggie I'd do more than throw dirt in his face." Glenn may have known the truth behind the older Dixon's actions, but that didn't mean he would tolerate Merle trying the same shit with his girlfriend.

The older man shifted his head, allowing his gaze to rake back over the prison grounds. "What's Maggie got to do with this?"

"Seriously Rick, dude-"

"Aw shit," Rick sighed, cutting Glenn off. His gaze was fixed on something far in the distance behind the younger man's head.

"What is it?" Glenn asked, his defences going on high alert. Rick breaking the conversation like that couldn't mean anything good. Turning to follow Rick's line on sight, he found the other man was staring at the corner watch tower in the distance. The same watch tower that Carol was keeping vigil from.

Glenn raised a hand to shade his eyes from the harsh afternoon sun. He really should have worn a hat today. With the shade his hand provided, he could finally see what had grabbed Rick's attention like that. There was a threat visible, but it wasn't any of the threats Glenn had anticipated. Well, not the threat of Axel, the Governor or walkers. This was something else. Something that, if discovered by certain other members of the prison, could definitely lead to disastrous, even deadly results.

He could make out Carol standing against the railing, her rifle slung across her back. Problem was, she wasn't alone. Standing outside with her was Tyreese. But he wasn't just standing with her. He had his arms wrapped tightly around the woman's tiny body, crushing her against him. His head was tucked down and resting in the crook of her neck. If that wasn't bad enough, Carol appeared to be returning the hug. Her arms were wrapped firmly around the mountain of a man standing with her.

The Sherriff's Deputy gestured towards the guard tower where Carol enveloped in Tyreese's embrace. They looked very cosy, tucked up there together on the walkway. "It's hard enough to sell this Dixon brothers lie to Axel, but if that man see's Tyreese with his hands all over Carol that'll be the end of it. We'll never be able to keep him away from her."

"Yeah," Glenn snorted, "Not to mention what Daryl will do when he catches Tyreese hugging Carol."

Now it was Rick's turn to snort. "Not you too Glenn? Like I told Merle-"

"What the fuck is this shit?!" Merle's booming voice carried across the grounds, his stomping footfalls growing louder as he neared Rick and Glenn.

"Maybe Daryl isn't the only Dixon we need to be concerned about seeing this," Glenn whispered discreetly to Rick.

**Author's Note: Another month, another chapter! This is actually part 1 of this chapter. Yet again, the length of the chapter was getting away from me, so to save uploading a 10000+ word chapter I've split it in two. The second part isn't quite ready for readership, but will be uploaded within the next few days hopefully.**

**Fun Fact, I actually wrote the walkers amassing on the prison well before I even viewed the season 4 trailer. Apparently I'm psychic. That, or it would make perfect sense the walkers would head towards the only food source in the area. Reader's choice.**

**Thank you all for the reviews, PM's and support. It really does mean the world to me and continues to warm my icicle of heart.**


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